Worth Your Salt
“You are the salt of the earth” - Matthew 5:13
When Jesus called His followers salt, He wasn’t tossing out a random metaphor. He was speaking directly to the value, influence, and purpose He designed them to carry. And the same is true for you.
Salt is a miracle. You take two elements, sodium and chloride, that on their own are toxic and deadly, but when combined correctly, they form something useful and life-giving. That’s what God does in you. He takes broken pieces and transforms them into something that has purpose. Salt heals, preserves, flavors, and strengthens. It was so valuable in Jesus’ day that Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt. That’s where we get the phrase “he’s not worth his salt.”
And Jesus didn’t say you might be salt if you work hard enough. He said you are the salt of the earth. Right now. If you belong to Him, your life brings flavor to the bland, healing to the broken, and strength to the weak. You are a preserving agent in a world that’s constantly decaying. Your presence can slow the spread of corruption and carry the flavor of God’s Kingdom into the places that have gone stale.
Salt was also used in construction in the first century. They would layer salt on rooftops to strengthen the structure and slow erosion. What a picture of what we’re called to do. As the world caves in around us, God says we’re supposed to help hold things together. We are not here to blend in or sit quietly in the background. We are here to preserve what is good, strengthen what is weak, and flavor every space with the grace of Jesus.
You may feel like an ordinary person living an ordinary life. But if Christ is in you, your life is anything but ordinary. Be salt today. Walk with purpose. Influence with integrity. Live like you were made to make a difference. Because you were.
When Jesus called His followers salt, He wasn’t tossing out a random metaphor. He was speaking directly to the value, influence, and purpose He designed them to carry. And the same is true for you.
Salt is a miracle. You take two elements, sodium and chloride, that on their own are toxic and deadly, but when combined correctly, they form something useful and life-giving. That’s what God does in you. He takes broken pieces and transforms them into something that has purpose. Salt heals, preserves, flavors, and strengthens. It was so valuable in Jesus’ day that Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt. That’s where we get the phrase “he’s not worth his salt.”
And Jesus didn’t say you might be salt if you work hard enough. He said you are the salt of the earth. Right now. If you belong to Him, your life brings flavor to the bland, healing to the broken, and strength to the weak. You are a preserving agent in a world that’s constantly decaying. Your presence can slow the spread of corruption and carry the flavor of God’s Kingdom into the places that have gone stale.
Salt was also used in construction in the first century. They would layer salt on rooftops to strengthen the structure and slow erosion. What a picture of what we’re called to do. As the world caves in around us, God says we’re supposed to help hold things together. We are not here to blend in or sit quietly in the background. We are here to preserve what is good, strengthen what is weak, and flavor every space with the grace of Jesus.
You may feel like an ordinary person living an ordinary life. But if Christ is in you, your life is anything but ordinary. Be salt today. Walk with purpose. Influence with integrity. Live like you were made to make a difference. Because you were.
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1 Comment
There can be value where we often see weakness or danger, so seeking alternative uses and combinations can be the way to go. Great insight. Much appreciated. Thank you.