One evening, for dinner, I made my family’s favourite spicy grilled chicken. My kids took one bite of it and said it was disgusting. My husband looked at me and said, “Honey, you forgot your secret ingredient.” The secret ingredient for all my recipes is salt. I even add a pinch of salt to my sweet dishes, as salt enhances the sweetness in them, making the dish taste even sweeter.

Salt is a flavour enhancer. When the salt is missing from food, all the other flavours turn dull and bland, and as my kids rightly remarked, the food tastes disgusting. We are called the salt of the earth because we are the people that influence, we set a high standard of living and morality. We are flavour enhancers of this world, without us the world is bland and tasteless. We accentuate that by living our lives as God intends us, thereby we influence others to walk in the path of righteousness, by living justly, loving tenderly and walking humbly with our God. When we live our lives like this, it is evidence of God working in us, which invites others to taste and see that the Lord is good.

Salt increases thirst. Eat something salty and you feel thirsty instantly. Likewise, believers of Jesus Christ increase the thirst for God in others. We are a living testimony of the power and resurrection of Jesus Christ. God works in us and through us to draw people near to Him.

Salt is also a preservative. From ancient times, salt has been used as a preservative, by rubbing it with the meat or produce, which inhibits bacterial growth and hence, prevents it from decaying.  Likewise, a believer acts as a preservative to this contaminated society, by preventing evil from spreading and decaying this world.

We are people that are anointed by God to do His work. What we say makes a difference in the lives of others. That’s why, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Colossians 4:6 NIV).

Salt is a compound consisting of sodium and chlorine. Two deadly chemicals, however, when combined in the ration of 1:1, becomes a source of healing. Salt, when rubbed on an open wound, stings with an unpleasant burn. Although that feeling is unpleasant, the salt is healing the wound with its antiseptic properties. Likewise, a believer in Jesus Christ is a source of healing and restoration. Sometimes, our presence around people may cause them that burning feeling, a sting that can be unpleasant. It’s because God’s word convicts people of their wrongdoings and wickedness. People don’t want the gospel of Jesus Christ to irritate them, but the Word of God cleanses first and then heals. Both these processes are painful, yet they are necessary for wholeness and renewal.

Salt is irritating and no one likes salt rubbed into their wounds. People don’t like to be corrected. Sometimes we see that God’s chosen people become God’s frozen people. This happens whenever we are supposed to say something, but we freeze and say nothing instead. I have heard some parents hesitate to correct their children, because they don’t want their children to get offended. So, they accept all sorts of inappropriate behaviours. Parents tend to become more friendly and less parent-like with their children. This results in kids growing up with too many friends and no parents, and a generation of people who do not know any difference between right and wrong. The common trend these days is, if the majority votes for something, it must be right. However, the majority may be wrong. We have people voting to abort babies, kill people through euthanasia. These are the dooming results when parents fail to teach their children right and wrong. If you really want your children to love and respect you, then don’t hesitate to correct them. The children that dearly loves their parents the most are those that have been rightfully corrected by their parents. Children that were not corrected have no respect for their parents and no love either.

Salt also penetrates. Pour some salt in water and it dissolves easily and it tastes saline. A little salt goes a long way. Our presence makes a difference that changes lives. So be the salt God wants you to be, wherever He has placed you. Jesus said, “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 underfoot.” (Matthew 5:13 NIV).

We are people that are becoming saltless, because we are too afraid of displeasing people. We are becoming more people-pleasers instead of God-Pleasers. When that happens, we lose our purpose, we become ineffective Christians. When salt loses its saltiness, it’s useless. Be the salt God has chosen you to be in this world, by influencing, correcting, healing and preserving those that are lost.

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