Salt changes its environment after making contact with it, but salt is only effective when it leaves the “salt shaker’ and makes contact. 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 says, “Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” We are to be a pleasing aroma to a lost and dying world is dire need of Christ. One of the side-effects of salt is that it causes thirst.
Isaiah 5:20 “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light
and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!”
Your salty influence in the world should cause a thirst and a hunger for God; to want to find and know Him. Let the Holy Spirit shine in you and through you, so that you can cause a hunger and thirst in the people that you are around. Because of what is happening in our world, this is why this message is so important today. Judges 17:6 says, “In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” The nation is in the midst of depravity and moral decay; the negative result of which are a society in chaos. Why? There is no moral compass for those who do not know the Lord, other than their own sinful flesh desires. And both Proverbs 14:12and 16:25 “There is a way which seems right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” The wages of sin is death. Hebrews 9:27 warns, and just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment. Due to sin, Hell is the default; Heaven is a choice. The truth is that eternal souls are at sake. The world needs a Savior, the good news of the Gospel and salty Christians to tell them about both.
Also, people who have been locked down for over a year are having the restrictions lifted now, and going to yearn and long to be with other people again. And so now, more than ever, it is vitally important for the Christian church to be the salt of the earth, to be the aroma of Christ, exuding the flavor of God within your sphere of influence. In John 10:10-11 the Lord Jesus stated, “The thief [the devil] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”
You can be the salt that Jesus was talking about. As believers, we have the opportunity to participate in what God is doing in this world though His Kingdom work of seeking and saving the lost. As the world opens up, the people are going to need more and more of us Christians to be salt; to clean the filth in the world, to heal the hurt that is in the world, to be agent of the kingdom that do good and wholesome, to preserve, protect and stand up for righteousness, to be positive influences in the world and the salt that makes the things of life taste better, like the God flavor He intended life to be.
Salt changes its environment after making contact with something. Likewise, you being the salt of the earth will change your environment when you make contract with your culture and society for Christ. Throughout history, Jesus’ disciples (students/followers) have had such a tremendous positive impact on the world. It was Jesus following Christians that championed social justice, who campaigned for human rights, who led for the abolishment of slavery, who revolutionized caregiver and established the nursing system. Because of Christians, hospital, orphanages, addiction rehab programs (like Celebrate Recovery, Exodus International, and Alcoholics Anonymous) exist. It was Christians that advocated and supported the poor and disadvantaged, so that organizations like the Red Cross and the Salvation Army began and they are founded on Christian principles. For a long time, the leading provider of education was the church, taught by Christians.
Throughout the history, Christians being the salt of the earth impacted the world in such a positive way. You are the salt of the world. You are the salt of “your” world, meaning that you are the salt of your sphere of influence (your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, etc.). You are the salt in their life and they are watching you. They see how you handle stressful situations, your honesty and integrity, your work ethic, your sincerity and truthfulness, your temper and faithfulness, your grace and your peace, that the words that you utter are good, positive, uplifting and encouraging. Be the salt in your world that cleans and heals, that protects and preserves, that makes the lives around you better, and most importantly that people see God in you to which they develop a thirst and hunger for what you have in God as well.
Look back at the four points earlier and replace the word ”salt” with your own name because, in a spiritual sense, (1) you are a cleansing and healing agent. (2) you preserve and protect. (3) you make things taste better and (4) you change the environment after making contact with it. Let that be true of you. Let God work through you because you are the salt of the earth. Amen
In Christ, Brian
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