"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men."
Matthew 5:13
Can you tell the difference between something that is salty and something that is not? If you would like to experiment, you should come to my house for dinner one night, and then let me take you to my grandmother’s house where things are well-seasoned. My wife and I experiment almost every night in the kitchen, and our green beans, peas, and other meals taste nothing like my grandmother’s. She enjoys using fat back, bacon grease, and cast iron skillets. Her meals have flavor to savor while ours can be bland and taste like they have just come out of a frozen bag or can. Often, they do.
Now that you are hungry, let’s transition this thought to what Jesus was saying in Matthew 5:13. He wasn’t talking about food with flavoring or seasoning, but he was giving a profound illustration of what the character of Christ in the life of a believer should be. There is plenty to do, but God’s first priority for His children is to be—like Christ. He wasn’t worried about whether you were going to the most popular church down the road, had the coolest Bible cover in Sunday school, or lived on the streets. He is concerned about who you are…
Since my wife and I are learning to cook, we often take breaks by going out to eat. A few weeks ago we stopped at Captain D’s. As we were driving in, I noticed a young lady who was taking out the trash. She had the biggest smile of anyone that I have ever seen while doing the dirty work. I couldn’t help but stop and ask her what was making her smile so much. She told me she knew Jesus and that everyday was a blessing. This was not the first time I had seen her. The previous week she was wearing the same smile while working behind the counter with rude customers. She was consistent, vibrant, and full of flavor. I left her presence wanting to know more about her relationship with Jesus.
Does your influence leave others wanting to know more about Jesus? At a recent baseball game, I purchased a bag of roasted peanuts. Do you know how expensive things are at sporting events? I normally try to be conservative in spending, but I could not help but pay $5 for a drink. The salt on the peanuts was delicious, but it created an incredible, mouth-watering yearning for something to drink. This is the whole purpose of being Christ-like. We do not have the power to save anyone, because the Holy Spirit must work on and melt the hearts of men. However, God can use those who are really connected with Christ to create a thirst and hunger for the eternal life that we possess in Jesus. Revelation 22:17 says, “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” We are not called to be water, but salty lives that create soul-wrenching thirsts.
How do we get salty? First, we must realize that there is no cookie-cutter Christian. God works on everyone in His own way, and we are not to look like everyone else. We are to look like Christ. We are not to be like pre-assorted, canned, and bagged vegetables. Many today think if they can go to the most-marketed church that they will automatically become salty. You can be in the biggest and best church, and be savorless because you might be Savior-less. The character of Christ only comes by knowing the Person of Christ. Have you met him? Secondly, saltiness comes when the Word of God becomes the key ingredient in your life. The savorless and powerless are more concern with culture than with being a Christian. I fail often, but I am glad that God is still cooking on me. If you see me and find that my spiritual tastes are bland, could you please pass the salt and direct me to Christ?
Tasting and Knowing the Christ is good,
Brian Johnson
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