"Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

"You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot."

"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:11-16

If we think of salt as a preservative, we can surmise Jesus wants us to prevent moral decay in our society. And if we think of salt’s ability to enhance flavor, we can be sure He wants us to help people discover the joy of knowing and living for Him.

Salt stored away on a shelf is not fulfilling its function. In a similar way, unless we are actively at work sharing God’s life-enhancing truth, we are not serving as spiritual salt. After all, the place for salt is in the "stew" of human activities. Instead of just criticizing the corruption of our culture as well as the flatness of the life so many people endure, let’s get into the stew – for we are the salt of the earth.

A salty Christian makes others thirsty for Jesus,

the Water of Life.

Our Daily Bread – January 5, 2004