Acting Salty
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” Matthew 5:13
“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” – Booker T. Washington
Like most things, salt has more than one side. For instance, the salt that an athlete needs to prevent dehydration is the salt that some experts believe plays a significant role in many health problems, such as high blood pressure. Salt also brings out the flavor of food, but at the same time too much salt can ruin food.
In our today’s common vernacular, when a person is described as acting salty it means they are acting a little bitter as a result of being made fun of or embarrassed. When a person becomes a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, Jesus tells us that his disciples should act salty. Not in the form of acting bitter or embarrassed, but in the form of being effective in making the lives of other people better.
Much of the focus in life is to push to make our lives better. Consider that in the push to make life better, someone is watching your life as a template to make their life better. As much as we respect, admire, and honor the examples the Bible gives us for a guide, seeing someone live out the principles of the Bible in real time is a more compelling draw to others. Seeing a person live out the struggles, pitfalls, blunders, mishaps, and downfalls but survive, speaks to the very core of every person. Seeing a survivor live out their truth and overcome it, empowers others to live out their own truth. This is the salt that Jesus was speaking. The salt that makes others life better.
We are drawn to Jesus because Jesus survived not only life, but Jesus survived the one thing that no one else ever survived. Jesus not only survived it, but Jesus conquered it. His survival and conquering of both life and death shows us that whatever circumstance we are facing now can also be conquered. As we have watched the life of Jesus play out through the pages of the Gospels in the Bible, know that someone is standing in a corner watching your life play out. They are reading your life as their Bible, as you have read the life of Jesus many times, and they are telling themselves if you can survive, they can survive also. Just like salt has two sides, you also have two sides to your story. Make the choice to use the better side instead of the bitter side.
---- This Weeks’ Reflection ---
Father, I am honored to be partnered with you in making my life better. I pray that you help me to realize the grace that you have given me to show others they can survive the trials of life. You have never left me nor forsaken me. Now I pray for my fellow brothers and sisters as they navigate life. Help me to be the salt that will help them to see life from a better perspective. Today I decree from this day forward better is my portion.