Are you a little salty? Maybe you are, but not in the way you may think of. I’m not referring to the slang form of salty like being angry or sour towards something or someone. What I mean is do you sprinkle the love and grace of Jesus onto those around you?
Did you know we would die without salt? Our bodies need salt to survive. The sodium in salt is used in our bodies to maintain fluid levels. There needs to be a proper balance of fluid and sodium for the health of the heart, liver, and kidneys. The level of sodium in our bodies regulates blood fluids and prevents low blood pressure. If sodium levels fall too low too quickly, a person could lose consciousness, fall into a coma, and even die. As salt is needed for our bodies to live, we need to be the salt of the earth to the people around us for their souls to live. Without knowing Jesus, our body and soul will die.
We are literally called to be salt shakers. In Mathew 5:13 Jesus says, “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.”
To be His salt is to share His love. We can do this in so many ways. In my experience, everyone around us needs just the right amount of salt sprinkled on them. Some need a little or their taste for Jesus could be turned off forever. Some need a little extra when life throws them too much to handle.
I have a good friend who is so passionate about her faith. She lives and breathes the love of Jesus in every aspect of her life. Because she lives out what she believes, she talks about her faith very openly. She unapologetically witnesses to the people around her. While most of the time I would say this is such a good thing, I have seen what happens when she pours too much salt on. Unknowingly and with the best intentions, she left a bad taste in a mutual friend's mouth because she wasn’t ready and open to hearing about Jesus. It was too much at one time and almost seemed to push her further away from hearing His good news.
As Christians, we know so deeply what feeling complete and unconditionally loved is like. We don’t want to turn people away with our good intentions. We need to be aware of how people are receiving what we have to say. Sometimes, the best way to share Jesus is not through what we say but in what we do. If someone isn’t ready to hear His Word, be His Word instead. James 1:22 tells us, “But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” If we are truly hearing His Word we can’t help but put it into practice, this goes beyond just what we say and is in all we do.
Become a doer of the Word and you are a salt shaker. Show kindness to someone who maybe doesn’t deserve it, bring a meal to that friend who is feeling overwhelmed, compliment your coworker when they are having a bad day. Just being compassionate to someone when life has them down can do more than any words spoken. We never know when our kind actions may open the door for a future conversation as to why we have the hope and joy we do.
Some moments in life call for a few extra dashes. It’s been a rough few years to say the least. A friend said to me recently, “all of my prayers are just so heavy.” If we Christians are feeling the weight of this current world, imagine what it feels like to not have the hope of Jesus to cling to. Be aware of the hard moments and move forward with grace. Remember in hard times too, we need to be doers of the Word and not just hearers and sayers of the Word.
A dear friend of mine has experienced far too many losses that were unexpected and in a short period of time. No one should have to face the heartache she has, let alone repeatedly. Her losses were not the appropriate time to share the Word, but they were the right time to show her genuine love and support her in all the ways I could. She needed a shoulder to cry on and someone to ease the responsibilities of life she just couldn’t muster up the energy to do. She needed someone to be His hands and feet to see His heart.
Be patient in your sprinkling. Unknowingly consuming the salt we sprinkle can produce a thirst for more. We never know when the moment will come when those around us become thirsty to hear more about Jesus. My dear friend was not open at the time of her losses to hear about Jesus. But God was working even in the small acts of kindness of running errands and making meals for her. Years later, she has now shared an interest in getting to know more about God. We can sprinkle our salt, but God will plant the curiosity and the thirst for more of Him.
We can’t get discouraged or lose our saltiness. Jesus warns us, if we make no effort to sprinkle His love on those around us, our value is lost.
I recently tried a new restaurant I was really excited about. I splurged and ordered the pricier choice I was eyeing up on the menu. I took one bite and was immediately disappointed. The really expensive dish I couldn’t wait to dive into had no flavor. I picked at my plate but left most of my dinner to be taken back to the dishwasher and thrown into the garbage. No to-go box was needed for this dinner! Just as my flavorless dinner had no value to me, if we are not making any effort to positively impact the people around us in knowing who Jesus really is, what value do we hold?
Friends, there is value in your sprinkling whether it is in the ordinary or extraordinary moments. Whether you are paying for the person behind you in the drive-through or preaching from the pulpit. Don’t be afraid to be a salt shaker in whatever way Jesus lays on your heart. We are all made in different ways with different talents to reach the ones we love and even the ones we don’t. Who will you sprinkle His love on today?
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