Thought for Today

Exodus 30:35 . . . make an incense blended as by the perfumer, seasoned with salt, pure and holy;

Leviticus 2:13 You shall not omit from your grain offerings the salt of the covenant with your God; with all your offerings you shall offer salt.  

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; . . . 14 "You are the light of the world . . . 16 let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Common table salt is sodium chloride, NaCl. Since the earliest days of humanity, people have recognized the necessity of salt for life. The sodium in salt is an electrolyte. “Electrolytes are substances that have a natural positive or negative electrical charge when dissolved in water. An adult's body is about 60% water, which means nearly every fluid and cell in your body contains electrolytes. They help your body regulate chemical reactions, maintain the balance between fluids inside and outside your cells, and more.” (myclevelandclinic.org)  Our bodies need salt; but, we also know that sodium plays an important role in our heart health and blood pressure.

If you read These Days, you encountered a common phrase today, “the salt of the earth.” At least it used to be a common phrase. I do not hear that phrase used as much today as it was used in my youth. But, it has long been used to describe people who are firmly grounded in the basics of life and society. The author in today’s devotional referenced the painting American Gothic. “American Gothic is a 1930 oil painting on beaverboard by the American Regionalist artist Grant Wood, depicting a Midwestern farmer and his wife or daughter standing in front of their Carpenter Gothic style home. It is one of the most famous American paintings of the 20th century and is frequently referenced in popular culture.” (en.wikipedia.org)

American pop culture aside, ignoring all of the comedic references to that painting, exactly what is Jesus trying to tell his followers, then and now, about who we are, what we believe and how we should live?

We are looking at this passage in Matthew this coming Sunday. I have purposefully left the chemistry lesson out of my sermon. I suspect most of us have heard enough sermons about salt and salt losing its saltiness, even if we never took a course in chemistry. It’s been a while since I took chemistry, but I am not aware of salt being able to lose its taste. Some salts are not safe to taste, but the ‘salty’ taste is one characteristic of all the chemical class of substances categorized as salts, including NaCl.

Salts have many uses. In addition to their electrolytic value, salts have long been used to preserve food for future use. Salted, or corned beef was stored on ships for long voyages. “Jerky is lean trimmed meat strips which are dehydrated to prevent spoilage and seasoned to varying degrees. Normally, this drying includes the addition of salt to prevent microbial growth through osmosis. The word ‘jerky’ derives from the Quechua word ch'arki which means "dried, salted meat.” (en.wikipedia.org)

I don’t believe Jesus was thinking of corned beef or jerky when he spoke those words above. I do believe Jesus was thinking in terms of our faith adding substance and flavor to our lives. I believe Jesus recognized the affect his ministry had on those who heard him preach and who witnessed his miracles.

Jesus was a reformer in much the same sense we think of Martin Luther, John Calvin and others. Jesus was born into a Judaism that had devolved from an intimate relationship with our Creator God to a ritualistic legalism. Jesus’ own ministry was focused on reawakening the sense of God’s love for Creation and for God’s children. And, Jesus was focused on bringing hope to ordinary, everyday people. Certainly Jesus welcomed all to the table. Jesus welcomed the rich and famous as well as the poor and unknown. The Bible records Jesus’ interaction with Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea. It also records Jesus’ interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well and with fishermen, tax collectors and others.

Christianity and Christendom are not functions of economics, noble birth, power or wealth. Our faith thrives and grows because it does ‘salt’ our lives. The essence faith adds to our lives does light up our lives and make our lives shine. Jesus calls us forth to share the light of our faith with the world. Just as our faith enlivens and enhances our individual lives, our faith will do the same for all Creation.

Stay safe, let your light shine, trust God,

Pastor Ray