April 3 - Matthew 5:13

April 3 - Matthew 5:13

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.”

Jesus uses a lot of metaphors in order that his words be plainly understood. So, what does he mean when he tells his listeners they are the salt of the earth?

Everyone knows what you do with salt.  You use it to season your food.  Or, you use it as a preservative. It is also used to purify things. Before people understood where to find it, its rarity caused it to be used in trading.  The word ‘salary’ comes from the same root as salt, since people were paid with salt.

But Jesus would have been talking to his listeners about seasoning.  They were to go into the world and fill it with His love. If they couldn't do that, they should be tossed out.

Salt is not eaten or consumed on its own (unless you’re very odd).  It is seasoning for food.  You can pick an apple off the tree and eat it, but you don’t scoop a handful of salt and snack on it.  Salt is not salt for itself; it seasons other items.

We are not here for ourselves, but for taking God’s love to the world.