"Brief Devotions For Busy Lives" by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson: Matthew 5:13

 June 16

"You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its flavor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people." - Jesus in Matthew 5:13 (NIV)

Salt was of infinite value in the ancient world, essential for life, and often used as a substitute for money in trading. In the time of Jesus, just as today, salt was also used as both a seasoning and a preservative. If salt ceased to be useful, it was thrown away. With this verse Jesus shows our infinite value and also offers wisdom. The background of this teaching lays in the use of salt blocks by Middle Eastern bakers to line the floor of their ovens. Under the intense heat these blocks would eventually crystallize and undergo changes in chemical composition, finally being thrown out as unserviceable. By using this fact as an illustration, Jesus warned about the harmful consequences to disciples who cease to follow him in reality and are Christian in name only. If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value. Good salt is especially essential in June as it is a month for barbecues and back yard cookouts when we clean off our grills and enjoy some wonderful times with family and friends as choice morsels grill away with mouthwatering aroma. A key in a great barbeque though is just the right seasoning. It is an embarrassing moment if we open that perfect mixture of herbs and seasonings only to find out it has become rancid, contaminated, or lost its flavor. It isn't good for much anymore and we usually have no choice but to throw it out and redeem what we can of the meal. But when the main course is a disappointment, the whole dinner can lose its joy.

If salt ceases to be useful, it is thrown away both in Biblical times and now. In scripture Jesus talks about hurtful consequences to those who cease following him. If Christians make no effort to affect the world, they are of little value to God. If we become too much like the world, we can become worthless. Christians need not blend in with everyone else. You are called to be salty and distinct and affect others positively, just as seasoning brings out the best in food. Your uniqueness is essential for God's success. Be yourself and leave the rest to God!

Prayer: Lord, Thank you for keeping me salty. Amen

Meditation For The Day: Good salt is vital to maintain all life.

Brief Devotions For Busy Lives: Daily Spring Renewal Paperback – February 21, 2017, by Rev. Dr. Mary Johnson (Author)