Salt isn’t one of those things I spend a lot of time thinking about. In my home, salt is used in the cooking process either at the beginning, added to some butter and garlic before tossing in the meat of choice. (Yum!) Or at the serving of the meal when the food has been served, and we sit down to enjoy. In the typical household today, salt is used to enhance flavor.
But that’s it. There’s not a ton more that goes into it.
That’s why I’m intrigued by Jesus talking so much about salt.
Last night, I was in my kitchen, and chatting with a friend whose family we had over for dinner. I was filling her in on all this salt stuff. Why I was intrigued by it, and what I’m learning.
And isn’t it like God to have a purpose in everything? While I had salt on the brain, I was also preparing to speak at a Kitchen Collective. This collective met a couple times throughout a Bible study season to take a break from their study to worship and learn together.
I was sharing with her about the Kitchen Collective and how excited I am for them. This opportunity for women, and honor it was that I got to play a small part in it.
And it hit me… last night… right there, while I washed dishes and she sat at the kitchen island, I realized… we were doing was exactly what the Collective is about. Being in the kitchen, creating memories, nourishing souls, feeding bodies. This is it.
I was telling her about salt, and all the different types of salt out there. I literally opened my cupboard and started pulling out salt. Call me a salt-hoarder.
There was iodized table salt, fine sea salt, coarse sea salt, kosher salt, pink Himalayan salt, garlic salt, garlic salt with pepper, garlic salt with parsley, onion salt, seasoned salt and don’t even get me started on the herb infused salts.
And here’s what I discovered. This is us. Salt. Yes, I just called us salt.
Each one of us is different, but we are called to be salt. I enhance flavors differently than you. You enhance flavors differently than me and others. But this is our role, to influence and impact our world. Flavoring our world with the unique perspective, talents and gifts God has given us.
We are different, but we each have a purpose to be the salt of the earth.
How and why do we have this arsenal of salt? If there are all these flavors and infused salts, does this give me permission to not be plain table salt all the time? How can I enhance things differently, just as if I am cooking? If I cook for my husband, I’m definitely not using onion salt! If I’m making air-popped popcorn, with melted butter, I’m definitely using the seasoned salt.
My grandpa, he’s a table salt kind of man. I have a friend that ONLY uses Kosher salt. She actually gave me kosher salt one time because she couldn’t believe I had never heard of it before! For my mom, definitely Pink Himalayan salt. For my Life Group friends… garlic salt.
I can enhance the flavor of life and of my friends and families lives with different types of salt. I can use (or be) the type of salt they need, at that moment, for that meal.
Back in the Bible, when Jesus talks about salt:
Jesus isn’t saying, if you feel like it… be the salt of the earth.
He doesn’t say, if you think you are equipped… be the salt of the earth.
He doesn’t say whenever you are ready… be the salt of the earth.
He is saying, You are the salt of the earth.
That’s who we are and this is our purpose.
I’ve learned a few ways to be salt to those around me.
Know people, and know their story. How can I be the kind of salt they need if I don’t know who they are, what they love, what struggles they may be going through. The good news is, this one is fairly easy… most people like to talk about themselves. I am a human, I can vouch for this.
After knowing their story, the next step is finding the commonalities. Focusing on what we have in common, rather than our differences, makes both of our lives richer.
I used to have a lot of LDS friends. We had different faith beliefs, but for me to be the salt of the earth to them, for me to add flavor to their life, I had to stay focused on what we have in common. My friends were praying women. I am a praying woman.
My friends focused strongly on family values and raising their children with good values. I did the same. When they were ready, they came to me to ask me questions that were on their heart. I was just the right amount of salt for them in their life so when they were ready, I was there for them.
With my Muslim friend, we don’t talk about anything that we disagree on. We focus on what we believe that is the same. She loves God, and she loves Jesus. Her walk with Jesus is definitely different than mine, but she follows his teaching, so we stay focused on that.
Mark 9:50 says "have salt in your lives and live at peace with one another."
Finding the commonalities and focusing on those, rather than differences is a way to live at peace with one another.
One last thing to think on…
Salt makes people thirsty. Have you ever noticed that?
Let’s be human salt shakers. Let’s sprinkle out the perfect amount of salt, each time, which leaves people thirsty and coming back for more.
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