“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)
It’s a curious thing: salt makes everything taste better but is not good for people with a heart condition! We Christians are to be the salt of the earth, but can we get too salty for those who have bad hearts? Are we sometimes anchovies?
Or salt water. Our pool at Shell Point is salt water but you would hardly notice it. It is wonderful for swimming. Yet it keeps the water sufficiently filtered. And there are the oceans of the world with a 3.38% salinity. Many people love to swim in the ocean. On the other hand, there’s the Great Salt Lake in the U.S. which has up to 27% at times, or 34% in the Dead Sea, and in 2017, the saltiest place on earth, Don Juan Pond in Antarctica, at 40.2% salinity. Have you ever tried swimming in the Dead Sea? I have. Forget it. You can’t sink, you are covered with an oily-like film and, if you happen by mistake to get it in your mouth, you nearly choke. Are some of us Dead Sea Christians?
Is the joy of the Lord our strength (Hebrews 8:10) or a rod of iron our weapon (Psalm 2:19)?
John 13:35: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Yes, salt can lose its saltiness and thus its worth, or it can be a disincentive to our witnessing.
Which are you? Which am I?
Written By Neil Fichthorn: Rev. Neil Fichthorn is a seasoned conference and camping servant having served at Gull Lake Bible Conference, Sandy Cove Ministries as President, and an interim Executive Director at Pinebrook Bible Conference. He also served in church music for decades as a choir director and arranger. He has been Bill Welte’s mentor and friend for over 45 years.