To be the salt of the hearth

Tuesday January 11, 2022

To be the salt of the earth

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor, what will it be used for ? It only serves to be thrown out and trampled on by men. Matthew 5:13

How can salt lose its flavor and be thrown in the way ?

Today, the salt we consume is pure and stable. But this was not the case with the salt once used in Palestine. This was generally collected on the shores of the Dead Sea and was mixed with various impurities. With the humidity, the good salt would disappear. What was left was earthy and tasteless ; this useless residue was then thrown onto the path, which was thus trampled by the feet of passers-by. Salt is often used for preserving food. But the characteristic of salt that Jesus emphasizes in this verse is its flavor, the good taste it gives to food, the fact that it is irreplaceable in playing this essential role in human nutrition.

The Lord said to his disciples, not "you must be", but you are the salt of the earth. In other words, the Lord's disciples can give others that good taste that comes from a believing life. This taste is characterized by true, selfless, persevering love, full of good works, by the joy with which Christ fills us, by the inner peace that can be read on our faces.

If we say that we are Jesus' disciples and do not behave accordingly, we lose our flavor, our reason for being on earth. If we do not fulfill our mission, we are no longer good for nothing and we will be despised, trampled on by those who should have taken advantage of our flavor. The Lord can no longer use us as servants (2 Timothy 2:12) and He must make us well so that we can again testify for Him. For, if the unbelievers are often lenient on their own moral failings, they are uncompromising towards the believers and treat with contempt those whose actions are not in accordance with their words.

What the Lord said to His disciples of old is addressed today to each of those who call themselves His disciples. Think about it !

Source (Pleasing the Lord)