“Yummy! This is very tasty!”
“However, it may need just a pinch of salt.”
Most of us have a favorite dish, one that we find enjoyable, especially when it
is seasoned to our liking. But can we
agree, there is something even more enjoyable than well prepared food? We love the blessing of “fitly spoken words”--
a warm cheerful greeting, an assuring facial expression, or gracious words of
comfort. Savoring the joy of such warm
encounters encourages our faith and renews our purpose for living.
On the other hand, many of us find it enjoyable to be givers of timely words of
encouragement. What a blessing it is to
us when we can lift up a troubled soul and serve them with a taste of hope from
God’s Word.
You ARE
“the Salt of the Earth”
Jesus gave a choice
title for those of us who, by faith, have become members of His Body, the Church.
He said, “You are the salt of the Earth
(Matthew 5: 13).” Notice that Jesus didn’t
command His Church to BE “the salt of the Earth.” Instead, when we obey Christ’s call as
members of His Body, we ARE the salt of the Earth. But what did Jesus mean by calling His
disciples “the salt of the Earth?”
Surprising Properties of Salt: By
examining the physical properties and chemical nature of common “table salt,” we
can appreciate why Jesus chose to call His Church “the salt of the Earth.” Although chemists list many different kinds
of salts, for our purposes, we will use the term “salt” to mean common “table
salt,” or sodium chloride, symbolized by “NaCl.” This form of salt is very abundant on Earth where
it is often mined from salt deposits. In
addition, our vast oceans contain an average of 3.5% sodium chloride. In fact, evaporation of ocean water also
helps meet our demands for salt.
We usually think of salt as a safe and tame crystalline substance that, when
added to our food in appropriate amounts, amazingly enhances the flavor. But there is absolutely nothing safe and tame
about the chemical formation of sodium chloride!
Sodium chloride is formed when atoms of sodium (Na) chemically react with chlorine
gas (Cl2) as shown in the photo of the reaction in progress. Sodium is a soft, silvery-white metal that
can explode into flame, especially when it comes into contact with reactive substances
like chlorine gas. And, chlorine gas is
a poisonous, yellowish gas with an odor similar to Chlorox®. Think of it!
Our edible table salt is formed through a violent chemical reaction between
two very reactive substances—metallic sodium and poisonous chlorine gas. The chemical shorthand of the reaction does not
show that bursts of light and heat energy are given off when sodium chloride is
formed. To watch a video of the explosive
reaction, click HERE.
Amazingly, all of this “fireworks” involves the transfer of one tiny electron
(negative charge) from each sodium atom (Na) to a chlorine atom (Cl), resulting
in a sodium ion (Na+) and a chloride ion (Cl-). These two oppositely charged ions can combine
like opposite poles of a bar magnet to form NaCl. When these ions combine with many other Na+ and Cl- ions,
they form a very orderly lattice work, visible as the white crystalline nature
of table salt as it appears in our salt shakers.
As we noted earlier, Jesus calls His Church “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:
13). By this He meant that those who are
committed to follow His teachings in the power of His Holy Spirit could not
help but add a pleasant “seasoning” both within the assembly of believers and toward
the surrounding culture. But Jesus may
have had more benefits in mind when He gave this title. Although we will risk going beyond what Jesus
intended, what follows are several applications that we hope are consistent
with the biblical narrative:
Proper seasoning with salt during cooking enhances the flavor. But too much salt can make our food inedible.
Our speech ought to be timely and
appropriate, and if possible, reflect the character of Christ. Just as properly seasoned food should not
taste like salt, so also when our speech is “seasoned with salt” we should not be
elevating ourselves; but instead, we ought to be “adorning the Gospel” of
Christ. by the manner in which we speak and act (Titus 2: 10).
Proverbs 25: 11 says, “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings
of silver.” According to the Berean
Study Bible, the writer is teaching us that when we speak words that are timely
and appropriate (“fitly spoken”), they are precious because they promote peace,
healing, and beauty. Such words are
pleasing to the ears just as well-crafted gold ornaments placed in silver are a
delight to our eyes.
Prayer: Father God, help me to love your Word and
to allow its living, powerful action within me to produce words spoken fitly in
time and place like salt adding flavor to well prepared food. Help me
to image the character of Christ so that others will want to taste and see that
the Lord is good (Psalm 34: 8). Amen.
“Blessed are the gentle (meek),” Jesus said (Matthew 5: 5). Recall that sodium metal is dangerous to
handle; and, breathing chlorine can endanger our skin and destroy our respiratory
systems. And when they react chemically
to form salt (NaCl), considerable “fireworks” are produced. Jesus, the Creator of the universe, knows all
about the violent chemistry that forms salt.
He also knows what is in the heart of every man and woman, boy and girl;
namely, a sin nature that can be very explosive and toxic.
Jesus called two sons of Zebedee, James and John, to be among His twelve
disciples. Both men grew to love Jesus;
especially John who became known as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (John 13:
23). Yet, Jesus had to restrain both
James and John when they wanted to call down fire upon several Samaritans who
had shown disrespect toward Jesus (Luke 9: 51-56). After this, Jesus called James and John “the
sons of thunder.” We too, may have
strong convictions that can explode into harsh words and behavior. We can only be the salt of the Earth if we
exercise the spiritual fruit of peace, patience, gentleness, and self-control
(Galatians 5: 22-23). Like sodium
chloride, we have a violent history and a tendency to explode. Only when we yield to the Spirit in us can we
be the salt Jesus desires as we produce the fruit of His gentleness.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, you are my meek and gentle
example as shown by your behavior. Help
me to respond like you did, even when you were mistreated verbally and
physically. Help me to yield to your
Spirit, the Spirit of Christ who lives within me, to produce the fruit of your
gentleness and self-control. Amen.
The Church is a Preservative. Before
the days of refrigeration, meat and other foods could be preserved by salt
curing. Salt curing applies the
principle of osmosis to draw water out of the meat and the cells of any
microbes that would otherwise grow on the meat and cause spoilage. Likewise, Christ-followers are “salt of the
Earth” when their speech and actions present a purifying and preserving effect
on those around them. In a culture beset
by moral and spiritual decay, Christ calls and equips His followers to be a
preservative against cultural decay.
Prayer: Father, help me to pursue your holiness and
purity lest I be like “salt that becomes tasteless… [and is] no longer good for
anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (Matthew 5: 13b).”
Peacemakers dissolve tension between people. This truth reminds us of another amazing
property of salt. We have all seen salt
crystals disappear when they dissolve in water.
Water molecules dislodge and separate the Na+ and Cl-
ions from the salt crystal lattice. This is an amazing feat considering that salt
crystals will not melt unless heated to 1474oF (801oC)! Like an obstinate, hard-hearted person who is
combative or difficult to befriend, NaCl cannot be “melted” without a great expenditure
of heat energy. Meanwhile, simply adding
water to salt can easily dissolve the hard crystals. Water molecules surround
each Na+ and Cl- ion to form hydration shells that coat the ions and
keep them from precipitating out.
No doubt you have used a saline solution of dilute sodium chloride in water for
dry eyes, to store your contact lenses, or for nasal irrigation. Saline is also given by injection or
intravenously and is used to clean wounds.
Again, given the dangerous properties of sodium and chlorine, it is
interesting that a sodium chloride solution is used in contact with our most
delicate tissues to bring soothing relief.
Prayer: Jesus, Prince of
Peace, help me to be a peacemaker. When
I encounter a head-hearted person who is brash and impolite, help me to avoid speech
that “raises the temperature” of our conversation. Instead, help my words to dissolve the
tension just as water melts and dissolves the hard salt crystals and creates a
soothing saline solution.
Being
“Salt” from the Heart
It is obvious that even
our favorite dish must be properly seasoned to be pleasant to our taste. The human tongue has been created with an
amazing capacity for precise detection of various tastes. According to researchers, the human tongue can
detect at least five different tastes.
In addition to salt and sweet, we can taste sour, bitter, and savory
(umami).
Our tongues contain tiny bumps on the surface called papillae. Within each papilla are hundreds of taste
buds. And, within each taste bud,
there are from 50 to 100 chemoreceptor cells that help us taste food and
beverages. The chemoreceptor cells detect
and translate chemical stimuli into neurological signals that convey the type
of taste and intensity to the brain.
Initially, scientists believed that each of the five tastes were
detected by a specific region of the tongue which they carefully mapped (see
diagram on right). However, more recently there is evidence that
each of the five tastes are detected by multiple locations on the tongue.
In addition to enabling us to taste and enjoy food, our tongues also aid in
chewing and swallowing food. And, relevant
to this blog, our tongues enable us to speak in words and sentences. According to the Word of God, the quality of
our speech determines the degree to which we can be “salt of the Earth.” The Apostle Paul gave us a description of a
major part of our function as “salt of the Earth:”
Let your speech always be with grace,
as though seasoned with salt,
so that you will know
how you should respond to each person.
--
Colossians 4: 6
Just think about this for a moment. Do
we realize that Jesus Christ, the Creator of our tongues, our sense of taste,
and our ability to swallow food, and our ability to speak in words and
sentences also calls us “the salt of the Earth.” Indeed, we are the salt when
we “speak with grace” so that our words will be as food well-seasoned with salt. Amazing!
With our tongue we can taste and enjoy food that is well seasoned with
salt; and, with our tongue we can also speak words that bless others like food well-seasoned
with salt.
But how can we “speak with grace” when we all know from experience that our
tongue can be as James describes it, untamable and “a restless evil and full of
deadly poison” (James 3: 8). James
continues: Does a fountain send out
from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren,
produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor
can salt water produce fresh (vv. 11-12). Each of these contrasts suggest that the
words from our tongue, whether gracious or otherwise, are determined by something
deeper than the tongue per se. Jesus explained how it is our heart, or our character, that governs our words
and actions (see text box above).
Responding
to Our Calling
If you are a Christ-follower, having been born again by
faith in His deity, death, and resurrection to defeat sin and death, you too
have a high calling. “You are the salt
of the Earth,” said Jesus (Matthew 5: 13).
As Christ-followers, we are called to be witnesses to the Gospel (“Good News”)
by our well-seasoned conversation and acts of kindness. Such a witness will have a purifying,
preserving, and soothing effect as appropriate on our morally decaying culture.
But we will only retain proper saltiness and the purity of it if we continually
surrender our hearts and “present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable
to God…and do not allow ourselves to be conformed to this world [system of
thought], but allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing of our minds
(Romans 12: 1-2).”
I hope it has become apparent from this blog that I sense a continual need to
submit to God so that He can work in my heart and in my speech. I want my words and my actions to be the
right seasoning of salt for a “yummy experience” so others will want to “taste
and see that the Lord is good (Psalm 34: 8).” It’s all about Him, not about me, even if it takes
a long time during which my saltiness is rejected. Hopefully, this blog has provided valuable
salt in the right number of “pinches” to make it worthy and helpful for God’s
Spirit to use it in your life.
2 comments:
Thank you for sharing a very well thought out application of salt in regard to the Christian life. So many details concerning salt that most people may not be aware of, including myself. The great news about God's word is that it continues to speak and gain new application throughout each generation. Thank you again for the challenge and application of Jesus's illustration of salt as it relates to discipleship and outreach.
Thank you for seasoning my blog with the salt of your kind words that honor God's Word and further encourage us to apply it in obedience as winsome witnesses of His grace.
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