SALT OF THE EARTH AND ACCEPTANCE (hard teaching-read with caution)
Jesus said: “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 underfoot."
(Matthew 5:13)
Jesus said (to his followers): 'You are the salt of the Earth'.
Throughout history, salt has been a key ingredient for cooking, conserving food and it has even been used as remedy to heal injuries.
It is interesting that Jesus does not use 'sugar' or any other spice as examples of who we are to the Earth. He chose to label us (His followers) as Salt of the Earth because 'Salt' has many functions. Salt can conserve food, Salt brings flavor, Salt heals wounds. Those functions are things that the sugar cannot do.
We also have to understand that the time context ,within which Jesus spoke, was a time where technology was not as advanced as today. There was no fridge and no sophisticated medical remedy. Therefore, Salt was considered as an item of great value in terms of food conservation and wound healing.
Now, we have to understand that the purpose of an item is designated by its creator or inventor. As an example, when a car manufacturer makes a car, he/she has designated it to function on roads, to carry passengers, etc...When we use cars on the road and to carry passengers, we follow the purpose of the car as attributed by its inventor.
It's the same thing with Salt. God made the SALT with the purpose of bringing flavor, conserving food, and healing wounds. When Jesus says that we (followers of Jesus) are the Salt of the Earth, He also implies that we have to function within the purpose of Salt: Bring flavor, Conserve (protect,nurture) food (not sin) and healing.
The opposite of those functions are as follow:
*Bring flavor vs. Being tasteless
*Conserve-protect (not inclusive of sin) vs. destroy-bring down
*Healing vs. deepening wounds, useless for healing.
Like Jesus said, there is a possibility that Salt might lose its saltiness. In other words: Salt can lose its purpose or a follower of Christ can lose his/her saltiness by NOT living according to the purpose or to the will of God in their lives.
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The next section of this teaching will bring some principles that might be very hard for people to swallow. Read with caution.
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PRINCIPLES OF SALT AND LIFE:
1. Why people are trampled underfoot?
Jesus said when the SALT loses its flavor, it is of no use and no good for anything except to be trampled underfoot.
When a Christian lives according to his/her purpose, he/she will be considered as useful. Christians all over the world are being trampled underfoot because they fail to live to their God-ordained purpose. As a result, they are seen as useless and people do not think twice to exclude,discriminate or disregard them. Being regarded with honor for your true flavor has nothing to do with your skin color, gender or nationality or looks. If you are one of those people who are: tasteless, destroying, and useless for healing-restoration, then people will not think twice to trample you under their feet.
Christians get trampled under feet when they don't live according to God's purpose. Therefore, people around them don't see anything of value in them...
2. Salty Salt does not beg for acceptance.
Notice I said "Salty salt'. Because salt can lose its flavor.
Have you ever seen a bag or a bottle full of salt in a food store begging people to be accepted like: 'Please buy me and take me home!'
I have never seen 'Salty salt' begging anyone to be accepted. And I know that some people refuse to consume salt on doctors orders due certain medical conditions. However, this does not stop Salt from being bought by other people. In other words:' Even if some people don't accept you, as long you are salty, there will always be other people who will value and receive you'. If you still have flavor, stop fighting and marching in the streets for acceptance from a specific group of people who will never accept you.
People who lose their flavor (those who don't live according to God's purpose) are the ones who can go and march their whole lives for acceptance.
When you are salty, people will think hard before discriminating or excluding you. You won't beg people to be accepted.
When you live according to God's purpose, you will have something to offer. When you lose saltiness, you have nothing to offer.
And this brings me to the last principle.
3.Being 'salty' is not about who YOU ARE, but it's about the flavor you can GIVE.
You cannot expect the people to throw favors at you during your whole life because of WHO you are. People buy and consume salt, not because of natural form, but because of the flavor it gives.
Unless if you are physically weak, an underage orphan, an elderly, then take note of this: 'you need to switch from the entitlement mentality of who you are TO a 'flavor mentality' for what you can give and you will see the change. You will see life in a different facet.
Here my last word:
In Matthew 10, Jesus sends His Apostles to preach the good news to the Lost sheep of Israel. Notice that in verse 14, Jesus acknowledges the possibility that certain homes would not welcome His Apostles. But He never told them to fight or BEG for acceptance. On the contrary, He tells them to leave in case they get rejected.
As 'salt', God will send you to people, nations and in various places of society. If you obey, you will go places and meet people. Some will open their doors, others won't. Don't focus on those who reject you. Life is too short. Leave them! When you beg for people's acceptance, you making them believe that your happiness depends on their approval. This is twisted. Do not give your power away cheaply like that!
It is okay and possible to be rejected. It's not okay to beg for acceptance when you are salty. Leave that non-sense to those who lost their flavor, to those who don't live according to the will of God!
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In case you are wondering and before you wrongly label me, know that I am Black. And there are so many things I see on TV that I don't experience in my life. And this message is for everyone regardless of race, gender or nationality.
Jesus said that I am salt. I am good flavor. I go to people as God tells me to. But if they refuse me, I don't fight for their acceptance. My life is too large to beg acceptance from others.
Do the will of God. Give your flavor. You will see the change.
If you read this post right to the end: 'thank you and congratulations.'