ODJ: salty flavor
June 30, 2011
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).
READ: Matthew 5:13-16
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
What are some tangible ways you can live a more “salty” life? How will you flavor your relationships with God’s reality today?
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