10/4/2023

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE READING:

“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)

TODAY’S REFLECTION ON GOD’S WORD:

Would that Jesus was speaking to everyone and conferring this “new” identity upon them as salt and light. Not everyone who gathered on those slopes which rose up to where Jesus was sitting on a large stone to rest and to teacher and fell down to Lake Genneseret were believers. Many were interested spectators. Some were doubters. Some were hungry and thirsty but not for righteousness. Regardless of their station in life, however, every one of them had a need, a want and a potential. Jesus spoke to all three of those realities. But, the titles or identities of “salt and light” would only be recognized by those and in those who had the desire to be true believers. We can see this by the comparison and contrast method He used to highlight those who would remain “salt and light.” I have no doubt that everyone there had the potential to be “salt and light.” Their faith in Jehovah-God and being descendants of the Father of Faith, Abraham, would have been the lynchpin of affirmation. But, we must recognize where this conversation took place in the scheme of Jesus’ teaching. It followed the very confirmation that those who held fast to their faith in Jesus as Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God would find joy, bliss and the promise of Heaven. Such opportunity also came with a caveat. Very little lasts forever. The task then is to hold fast to what lasts. To this end, Jesus lifts up the concepts of “salt and light.” They were easily identifiable to every person present that day. They were common but necessary elements which maintained, fostered and promoted a healthy life. As with the Beatitudes, such a life was not merely that which exists in the world on earth but the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in Heaven. In this, hear the word of warning which Jesus gives. He is drawing the defining line as to who would be true followers. He was winnowing the crowd as a farmer winnowed the wheat and the chaff.

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.” In that moment, those who believed in Jesus were acknowledged as being “the salt of the earth.” Today we understand that title as one of affirmation. Its plain and simple presence gives hope for the future. A person who is the “salt of the earth” does exactly that without pretension. They are honest, true, unencumbered with the world and ready to live authentically for the welfare of others. Such people, like very good friends, are few and can be counted on one hand. Are we “the salt of the earth” people? If not, Jesus tells us what our future will be. He states it as a matter of fact which everyone on those slopes heard and understood. If you stop being “salt,” then you have lost your purpose and are then discarded, thrown out and trampled underfoot. As with many of Jesus’ illustrations, there is a level of difficulty in grasping the meaning and truth of them. The disciples often were befuddled by some of the parables Jesus told. They waited until the crowd had gone away and in private would ask Jesus “What did you mean by that?” I have no doubt that such a conversation must have happened. Why?

First, salt all by itself does not become unsalty. Further, it is impossible for unsalty salt to become salty. So, if those who pursue the lifestyle of righteousness as Jesus presented it were affirmed and called “salt,” then was He also affirming that they could not become unsalty. It would seem that this may have been an aside to the teaching of the Temple leadership who easily cast out the “unacceptable, defiled, unclean, broken, infirmed, etc.” from the general population. No matter if their faith was intact as an internal reality, the external was the true determination of their fate. While the Sanhedrin and Pharisees and their retinue would look upon them as having lost their saltiness and thus of no purpose to the Kingdom of “their” God, Jesus didn’t see it that way. Jesus always saw the internal first. It was the true measure of a person for Him. What was the condition of their “heart, mind, soul and strength”? Did they still love God and their neighbor? If they did, then hadn’t they fulfilled “all the Law and the Prophets”? Jesus could easily make this point and often did. Once, He was confronted by His accusers who claimed, “We cannot be of sin. We have Abraham as our Father.” Jesus responded with an “Easy for you to say, these rocks could be raised up by God with such a claim but that doesn’t make them any more or less valuable. Rather, it is by the works and words of your heart that become the true measure.” (Matthew 3, Luke 3 and John 8) How the people must have loved to hear both of those teachings! If they were the salt of the earth being whom God had called, then just because they had been cast out didn’t mean they had lost their inheritance or their “saltiness.” Further, there was no need to restore what hadn’t been used up. Jesus gathered up those “salt of the earth” children of God and made new the containers of salt. You might say they would become, “movers and salt shakers” of the earth.

Second, while salt in its standalone state does not lose its saltiness, therein lies the rub. Put salt on food and the chemistry changes for seasoning, preserving, sustaining or replacing lost salt. Heat is also a detriment to the health of salt. And polluting salt with a substance, liquid or solid, can reduce the effectiveness of the salt in whatever form it is in. We can certainly see the application of keeping one’s spiritual saltiness pure and unadulterated. Too much pressure, too much heat, too many competing elements changes salt from its primary purpose and function to something less effective or to nothing at all. Herein we grasp the fuller admonition which Jesus gives those who have gathered to hear His teaching, experience His work and to gain for themselves a bearing in life which had been missing. The Old Testament is filled with stories of those who were “faithful to God” or “descendants of Abraham” but were actually more true to themselves. The Ten Commandments serve as a barometer/thermometer of the challenges which would impact one’s spiritual saltiness. It would impact one’s ability to fulfill the call to righteousness which is actually a part of the created life. So, the list of polluting issues should not surprise us: polytheism (or monotheism of a different god); graven images; misrepresentation of God’s name; dishonoring the Sabbath; dishonoring one’s parents; coveting; stealing; murdering, adultery and bearing false witness against one’s neighbor. But, there was more than just those ten rules of righteousness violations to consider, such as: judgmentalism, witchcraft, sorcery, forsaking the tithes, and intermarriage. All of these things steal away from the saltiness that flavors the life of faith in relationship with God, the father of Jesus, and His people (those who are called by His name as well as those who call upon His name.)

The transformation to being able to claim or reclaim the right relationship with God is the result of righteousness, or seeking to live in a manner that reflects righteousness to God. That transformation happens when Jesus Christ is claimed as one’s Lord and Savior. It is maintained by living in a manner which He puts forth as “the way, the truth and the life. We are called to be kingdom salty and not worldly salty. It serves us, others and God well when we know the difference and act accordingly.

PRAYER IN LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD:

Father, You have revealed to us best in Jesus the Christ. By Him and Him alone shall we gain the eternal life and our place in eternal rest, living for You always. Show us more and by Your Holy Spirit instruct us in the way we should go, the truth we should reveal and the life we shall live with you forever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.