Salt

Salt. It's on my heart today. The Lord is really speaking to me how I "am the salt of the earth." Matthew 5:13 What does that mean? Strange. Salt. So I have been studying. Salt is a force that changes an alien environment permanently. Salt enhances flavor. (I really like salt on my food....probably too much) Salt slows decay only if salt is kept pure. Salt cannot lose its saltiness but it can lose its effectiveness by being diluted.

Okay, so Jesus said to his believers, "You are the salt of the earth." What does this mean for me?

As a follower of Christ I will be a force that changes an alien environment permanently. I will leave the mark and fragrance of Christ wherever I go.

As a believer in Jesus I will enhance the flavor of the body of Christ. I can do this by truly being a committed follower, unified in growing and serving with fellow believers in a church body not just a fan of Jesus sitting in a pew occasionally on a Sunday morning.

If I am kept pure I can help slow the decay of worldly desires and influence on people around me by exposing God's truth and wisdom.

Tasteless, diluted Salt is worthless. Luke 14:34 "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its flavor, how shall it be seasoned?" I am the salt of the earth. If I allow my life to be diluted by things of this world then I will lose my effectiveness for the Kingdom of God. There are so, so many things that work hard to dilute my focus and my daily walk with God. One thing specifically on my heart is in things I, we, hear and support. We did go and see Audio Adrenaline in concert last weekend and while it was great I was so sad to see the small crowd. Maybe 300 people. I stood listening and worshiping to good lyrics filled with God's truth, I heard two personal testimonies of redemption in Christ, and I heard about a way to connect and support orphans. I saw musicians proclaiming Christ through music and ministry. I kept thinking, Wow...in this huge town of Cincinnati where approximately 300,000 people live only 300 people came out? Interestingly this is 0.001% of the town.

Here is my thought: why? Philippians 4:8 says "Whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things." Why do we not embrace and support musicians who proclaim Christ in music and testimony? Perhaps we are letting the world dilute us by romancing us with a catchy rhythm or tune that is filled with anything but God's goodness, truth and encouragement. Perhaps we don't even notice the way the enemy has entangled us as He dilutes us in many ways not to be effective in our walk with God.

Hebrews 12:1 says "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Salt. Believers, we are the salt of the earth. May we not allow anything in our daily walk to dilute our effectiveness to share His grace and His love at every opportunity He lays before us. What a challenge! He alone is worthy!

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