Salt of the Earth

S’s grandmother was a wonderful cook. She was one of those cooks who could throw this and that together, without measuring anything, and have a masterpiece when she was finished. It was kind of comical to watch Judy, S’s mother, try to write down recipes while watching her mother-in-law cook. “How much sugar?” Mrs. M would hold out her hand, showing Judy the ingredient in her palm. Judy would grab measuring spoons and measure it before it entered the pot.

His grandmother once told him that everything, even desserts, needed salt. “Without salt, food tastes ‘raw.’” We passed this wisdom on to J while we were preparing Easter dinner a few weeks ago. “Why are you adding salt to bread pudding?” he asked.* Even though it was a sweet dessert, it needed salt.

Without salt, food is flat. Chefs on the Food Network would tell you that salt brings out the flavors of other foods.

Salt is mentioned in Matthew 5:13 (NIV) You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.

The first thing I noticed when I did some reading about salt was that in Biblical times, it was a thing of great value. In fact, the word salary is derived from the Latin word for salt.

According to Wikipedia, salt in Exodus, Ezekiel, and Kings was described as a purifying agent. In Leviticus, Numbers and Chronicles, it was a sign of God’s covenant. In Rabbinical literature, it was a symbol of wisdom.

In another article, the author lists several possible meanings of the symbolism of salt:

• Salt is white and could symbolize purity.
• Salt is flavoring – Christians should not be boring.
• Salt stings in wounds, so it could symbolize that Christians are to be the prick of the conscience of the world.
• Salt creates thirst (which is why bars serve peanuts or snack mix); Christians should create in the world a thirst for God.
• Salt is a preservative, symbolizing that Christians should be the preservative of purity or moral behavior in society.

Could it be all of that, but more than that?

In this particular case, I like The Message version of the scripture: “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be the salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste Godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage."

I like the phrase, “salt-seasoning to bring out the God-flavors of this earth.” I don’t think it’s very poetic, but the image is good.

So here’s what Kim thinks (and you can take this with a grain of salt – and yes, I said that on purpose). Could it be that “salt of the earth” is meant to be the opposite of apathy? Think about this – there is salt in sweat and salt in tears. The ocean – with its pounding waves and relentlessness – is salty. Maybe “salt of the earth” is a command to be INVOLVED in the world – to be passionate about God and His call on your life. Our life is not a waiting room at the DMV – we aren’t here just waiting for the Kingdom of God to arrive – or for us to be delivered to it. If we are not involved – if we are not salty – then what is our purpose? How can God find use for us if all we are willing to do is be a bystander? Apathetic and flat? If we lose our saltiness, how will people taste Godliness?

I'll tell you a fun factoid if you promise not to try this at home. We've all been warned to avoid combining electrickery with water -- no radios in the bathtub, no hair-dryers in the shower. The truth is that pure water will not conduct electricity. In order to conduct electricity, the water must have salt in it (or the ions that make up salt). Living water -- God within us -- cannot carry the power of God to other people without our involvement or passion -- the salt.

*Story: S and I were rushing around on the Saturday before Easter, cleaning house, getting groceries, etc. The Prayer Vigil was going on, and we were hosts for part of the Saturday evening at church. The bread pudding recipe is the one that Lazarus (the department store, not the man who was raised from the dead) used to use, and it has a whiskey sauce. So we’re running around the house, getting ready for Easter, and S says, “We’ll have to stop for whiskey on the way to church.” I don’t know why I find that funny, but I do.