Salty Flavor
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Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its
flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled
underfoot as worthless (v.13).
In his book Transforming Children into Spiritual
Champions, George Barna reveals this interesting
research statistic: Children are eight times more likely
to accept Jesus as their Savior than teenagers and adults.
Barna’s findings are important. Along with the
practical implication of needing to present God’s truth
to the young, it made me wonder if we shouldn’t take
a step back and consider why there’s such a significant
drop in the percentage of teenagers and adults coming
to faith in Christ. Obviously, the fact that they’re not as
open-minded as children is a big part of the reason. Still, I’m wondering if the drop-off isn’t partly due to a
misunderstanding of what it means to be the “salt of the
earth” (Matthew 5:13).
Salt has many uses. But what did Jesus have in mind?
The Christian circles I grew up in interpreted salt to be
a preservative. From this I was taught that our role is to
be the moral police force and preserve morality in our
culture. But if you listen to Jesus’ own words, it’s plain to
see that He meant something entirely different—“But what
good is salt if it has lost its flavor?” (v.13).
To be salty, as Jesus intended, is to add flavor. It is
about enhancing taste, leaving others wanting more.
God may call some of us to speak against immorality
in terms of the harm it causes others. But I wonder how
many of us wag our fingers at the depravity of our world
to such a harsh degree that it keeps us from lifting up what life with Jesus has to
offer in its place?
Jesus, free us to offer a tasty sampling of Your real life that will leave teens
and adults wanting more of all that is found in You.
—Jeff Olson
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How did Jesus describe the life found in Him in John 10:10?
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What are some tangible ways you can live a more “salty” life? How will you
flavor your relationships with God’s reality today?
