Jesus says, “You are the light of the world,” and “you are the salt of the earth.”
To the latter, he adds, “but if the salt has become tasteless, it is no longer good for anything but to be cast out and trodden under foot by men.” In those days, tasteless salt was used as a kind of gravel put on roadbeds. When it was good, it was as useful as cash is in our economy.
So often, I have thought about “salt” as a means of preserving the good. Salt is used as a preservative all over the world—even today. However, what Jesus says is, “but if the salt has become tasteless.” Did you know that this can happen if salt has chemical impurities or is exposed to atmospheric moisture? Interesting image.
Lately, I’ve become more aware of the power of little things done by small, seemingly unimportant Christians (like me). As we walk with Christ in the world, we powerfully impact it. “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.“ (II Cor. 2:15 NASB)
About 12 others and I are trying to practice the presence of God as we live our everyday lives. So, we pray as we go through life and encounter people who look like they need prayer. We pay attention to the faces of those who seem downcast, and our prayers in the power of the Holy Spirit motivate our movements outward. We perform an act of kindness, pay prayerful attentiveness to suffering, offer a gift of generosity or simply help someone carry groceries. We are also led to repentance as we pray for those who aggravate or oppose us.
The world needs us—because it needs Christ.
It needs our compassion, our truths, our small acts of kindness and mercy. We wonder, “What does this matter? It’s such a small thing.” But what if all believers began to salt the earth daily with prayer and love and mercy? What if we prayed everywhere we went—with a desire to love the earth back into a love relationship with the King of Kings? What if we demonstrated his love and compassion in millions of ways? What might happen?
If we put into action the Kingdom that Christ came to present to the world, we would become that city that cannot be hidden. We wouldn’t be simply words and judgments; we would be the catalyst for hope and light in a dark world. Jesus called us salt. We matter.
Right now mankind treads the Church under foot. Why might we deserve that? Where have we/I become tasteless? Jesus was so winsome, that sinners loved to be around him—he salted society and they wanted more. If we lived and loved like Christ—going about doing good and showing compassion, praying at all times in all places in the Holy Spirit, maybe the world would get thirsty to possess some of that essence as every little grain of salt played its teeny tiny, humble part.
But if mankind didn’t want the tastiness of Christ, we would still have the privilege and joy of loving the world a little closer toward the knowledge of Him.
An Invitation to Wonder 
This is such a beautiful reminder to me today to shake a little of Jesus’ salt onto and into the lives of others He brings across or along my pathway. Wonderfully written and delightfully said!