My entire pharmacy career has been within the walls of a grocery store … and it sure has its perks.
I have 24/7 access to sushi, coffee and warm chocolate chip cookies. Not to mention a ginormous chip aisle and plenty of produce! My mid-shift snack options are endless! Plus, I don’t need to make an extra stop for groceries after work; I’m already there! Staple items like bread, milk and eggs are always just a few feet away.
So it blew my mind when, a few months ago, I reached into my spice cabinet as I was preparing dinner and realized … I was out of salt!
How does a girl who works at a grocery store filled with almost every type of salt — Himalayan, Kosher, Sea Salt, Iodized, Non-Iodized — run out of salt?
Unfortunately, it happens. And apparently, I am not the only one to run out of salt before.
In Matthew 5:13, Jesus tells His disciples (with the crowd listening in),“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.”
“You are the salt …”
It’s a statement declaring their identity — not only who they are but also their purpose. And because I’m a follower of Christ, it’s my identity and purpose, too. Jesus created me to be salt and to stay salty (just not the way the urban dictionary defines it).
Salt does three things: adds flavor, makes you thirsty and preserves. How does this relate to what Jesus said in Matthew 5?
As believers, we must add Christ’s flavor to whatever environment He places us in. We are to preserve a Christlike culture in a morally decaying world. And we can cause others to thirst after the God we have inside of us.
I love the way the Message translation puts Matthew 5:13: “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”
I’ve experienced times when I was on a spiritual high after attending a church conference, or I was ready to dive in and dissect more of God’s Word after attending a spiritually rich Bible study … only to lose my cool with my family within the first five minutes of being home.
The truth is, I can surround myself with Bibles, Bible apps and Bible studies. I can listen to sermon podcasts, read daily devotions and attend church services, all of which are great things. But if I am constantly moody and unkind or I ignore those around me, what’s the point? Being a believer and spending time with God should change us and, in turn, change those around us.
Just like salt has no practical use if left in the grocery store aisle, our God-given identity as salt is of no use if it doesn’t translate into our everyday lives.
As a child of the Most High God, I am an ambassador for Christ. He has called me to represent Him wherever I go — at work, at school and even at home.
I pray we never forget this mandate God has given us to be salt: to add His flavor, to preserve a Christlike culture and to cause others to thirst for Him. Oh, that the world would crave what we have!
Stay salty, my friends … “If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness?” (Matthew 5:13c, MSG).
Father, thank You for the identity You have entrusted to us — to be salt. Please forgive us for not always being faithful to the call. Prompt our hearts and teach us how to bring You into every aspect of our lives. Thank You for empowering and entrusting us to do Your work here on earth. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
