“You shall present them before the Lord, and the priests shall sprinkle salt on them and offer them up as a burnt offering to the Lord.” Ezekiel 43:24
“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.” Matthew 5:13
“Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Mark 9:50
“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Luke 14:34-35
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Colossians 4:6
Jesus says salt is what we are; there is no choice in this identity when we are His children. But we have a lot to do with how effective that salt is, how well it does its work in and through and around us, and whether its properties remain robust. Just as it is true that we are in fact saved from and dead to sin, and yet are to reckon ourselves as so, we both are salt, and commanded to be salty, so the human will is involved. (Romans 6:6,11-14)
And the human will can be a restless, fickle enigma, at once wanting all that is good, yet turning inside out and upside down by a pesky flesh that says No Way or Not Now. We are warned again and again to watch and pray, to fly to Jesus the Overcomer when in need. Our very holy desire and diligence trigger saltiness in a world that is given to heinous violence and degradation at worst, and flabby commitment at best. If salt retards decay, preserves the good, heals, cleanses, and enriches flavor, then every time we persist against the world we scatter salt where others would not have that strength. (Matthew 26:41; Romans 7:15-25; Hebrews 4:16)
In our homes, workplaces, churches, and communities, how salty are we in speech, conduct, and attitude? Are we willing to speak truth, sting, or walk away, or are we a benign, tasteless, impotent add-in? Do our ideas and responses put a stop to the corruption of gossip, falsehood, and cattiness, and instead enhance lofty thinking? Where and how might we interrupt degradation and add heavenly taste and consideration to the atmosphere of our gatherings?
While salt has an indefinite shelf life, it must not stay on the shelf. The Lord calls us up and out to make a difference and season our world with His peace and truth. Where are we intentionally going, what flavor are we adding and what good are we doing, with all the Lord has entrusted to us?
Father, keep my spirit stable and at peak quality to season the places You plant me. May I never lose my taste and thirst for You, and so sprinkle salt that others long for You too.
As the rain and snow 