Monday, June 18, 2007

Salt

"Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg ?" Job 6:6

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men." Matthew 5:13

Yesterday during our sermon at church, our Pastor used Matthew 5:13 as part of his message. Of course, I picked up on it right away, and it stuck with me. In fact, may take a few days to talk about salt and what the Bible has to say about it. Being a foodie, I know all about salt and its many properties- but the most important part of salt is that it adds flavor. Salt enhances the flavor of everything you add it to. Salt can perk up the flavor of most everything- even sweets are better with a touch of salt. And according to Matthew 5:13 we are the salt of the earth. All of us- each person is meant to "flavor" the earth. Without us, the world is boring and bland and tasteless, but God created us to be the salt of the earth. Essential, important, and good for absolutely everything. We enhance this earth that God created.

I don't mind being salt. :-) I cook with salt, and I do use it in everything. One thing that the verse in Matthew mentions is about salt losing its flavor. I have to say, I have never had salt lose its flavor, but I imagine that if it were exposed to enough moisture, the flavor could be leeched out and diminished, and that renders the salt useless. So to, should we be careful about what we are exposing ourselves to. The wrong atmosphere and the wrong influence can rob us of our flavor, and look at what this verse says we are good for! Nothing! We are fit to be tossed on the street and trampled.

I like the idea of being salt. I like the idea that we were created as an enhancement. The salt of the earth, the most basic element. It may be a bit of a humbling thought, that we could be as simple as salt, but to me it's ideal, I like the thought of being flavor. I pray that I will never lose my flavor, and that I will be used in the best application. Just as I would never use a good fleur de sel in a basic baking application, I would hate to have my talents wasted in a less than ideal situation. Every salt has a different application, but while the purpose is the same- to add flavor, the application for each salt is different. You wouldn't use a smoked salt in a strawberry pie, but it sure would add to a fillet of fish.

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