Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:13-16
For every one shall be salted with fire, and every sacrifice shall be salted with salt. Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another. Mark 9:49-50
To best understand these allegories on salt and light, we’d best go to the Old Testament. The phrase covenant of salt appears twice in the Hebrew Bible, along with another major reference to salt in the book of Leviticus:
- In the Book of Numbers, Numbers 18:19 (KJV)—All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the LORD, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute for ever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the LORD unto thee and to thy seed with thee—God’s covenant with the Aaronic priesthood is said to be a covenant of salt.
- In the second book of Chronicles, 2 Chronicles 13:5—Ought ye not to know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt? God’s covenant with the Davidic kings of Israel is also described as a covenant of salt., and
- The commandments regarding grain offerings in the Book of Leviticus, Leviticus 2:13, states “every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”
A covenant is an agreement between two or more parties. An agreement that involves salt symbolizes one that is meant to be:
- Perpetual because of the use of salt as a preservative,
- not corruptible, and
- Indissoluble.
The most well-known reference to a covenant of salt is in relationship to God’s promise to King David to make him a perpetual throne—2 Samuel 7:11–16.
In our reference texts in Matthew 5:13-16 and Mark 9:49-50, the Lord was teaching His disciples, who came out of the multitudes, of whom it is also written and those who would believe as they did, in 1 Peter 2:9 and Revelation 1:6 and Revelation 5:10, that they were kings and priests.
Thus on one hand we remind ourselves of the indissolubility of His covenant made by Him being the sacrifice for our sins, re-affirmed in Hebrews 7:22-27 and Hebrews 6:17-20 but we must remain conscious of the responsibilities on our part to remain salt indeed. It is in respect of this that we hereafter speak to the nature of salt.
SALT has no need to look like other ingredients, sends out no aroma like other seasonings, but without it the soup is tasteless:
- men of true impact don’t fight for position, visibility or appearance. their results speak for them not their propaganda.
- you don’t need to shout to be heard; people keep quiet to listen to intelligent people.
If one day, we all are allowed to put our problems on a table and exchange them, I’m sure that after few minutes, everyone would silently take back their own and leave the table. There is no such thing like a perfect life, nobody has it all together. Just as our faces are different, so are our problems. You don’t own half of the problems in this world.
So, never be envious of what someone else has. You don’t know the price they paid to get it and the price they are paying to keep it.
While you are discreetly wishing to be like the other person, someone else is seriously praying for that life you take for granted. Sometimes the people you envy are actually wishing they could have the life you live. Be contented and cherish what you have. You can be anything you want, just don’t be ungrateful.
Salt maintains its integrity amidst pollution:
- Have you seen where a salt buyer demands to taste it before buying? Salt has proved its integrity over the ages. If you will need to swear before people can believe you, you lack integrity.
Is your life like salt to the earth or an insult? The easiest and only way salt can lose its taste is when it mixes with too much of anything (dilution). So watch your association with people without noble values. salt is very precious and should not be wasted. STAY PURE AND MAINTAIN YOUR DIGNITY—Author Unknown
Take a moment or two think on the above. Salt is needed for such a time as this. Shalom.
Leave a Reply