Week of Monday July 14 – 20
Worth your Salt – Man as Provider
“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” - Luke 14:34-35 ESV
In February 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team pulled off what became known as the “Miracle on Ice.” In a surprising upset, the American team defeated the powerful Soviet team and went on to win the gold medal by beating Finland while the crowd chanted, “U.S.A.!” Before the team’s victory over the Soviets, coach Herb Brooks reportedly told his players, “You are born to be a player. You are meant to be here at this time. This is your moment.”
As followers of Jesus, we, too, are made for this moment in history. We are called to be a positive presence in the world, one that Jesus likened to salt. In ancient times, salt was incredibly valuable. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt. This payment was called the “salarium,” which is where our word “salary” comes from. Ever heard the phrase, “He’s not worth his salt?” Now you know where it came from.
The salt used in the Holy Land was either mined from the salt cliffs along the Dead Sea, which were seven miles long and several hundred feet high, or evaporated from the sea’s waters. Often, when this salt was exposed to the elements or mixed with dirt, it lost its flavor. Such salt was worthless. So it is with our witness and influence for Christ. Once tainted by the world and corrupted by sin, it loses its essential purity and holiness.
Pure salt is preserving, penetrating, purifying, and pleasing. Pure salt can bring out the best. Salt blends and adds flavor to food. In fact, there are some foods that are better off not eaten, if there is no salt! So too, an authentic and pure follower of Jesus Christ will flavor the world around him—not the other way around. In these verses, Jesus is reminding us that we are created with a purpose and placed here in this moment of history to provide that positive presence and influence! The Creator made you to be like salt for such a time as this.
There is a story involving two baseball Hall of Famers: Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, the legendary home run hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. During a World Series game between their teams, Berra was engaging in his usual banter, encouraging his teammates while trying to throw off the Milwaukee batters. When Aaron came up to bat, Berra tried distracting him by saying, “Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark.” Aaron didn’t say anything, but when the next pitch came, he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Berra and said, “I didn’t come up here to read.”
Men, you and I stand at the plate of life with God’s designed purpose to be a Provider of a pure and positive example. Let’s be worth our salt!
- Is there any spiritual impurity that has crept into your life that would cause your influence to be corrupted and rendered worthless?
- How would you rate your godly influence? Are you providing a positive example and making a positive impact with your life as Jesus expects of us?
- Pray and ask God to cleanse and purify you and restore your godly influence so that you can provide a pure and positive example for those you love and lead.
Worth your Salt – Man as Provider
“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” - Luke 14:34-35 ESV
In February 1980, the U.S. Olympic hockey team pulled off what became known as the “Miracle on Ice.” In a surprising upset, the American team defeated the powerful Soviet team and went on to win the gold medal by beating Finland while the crowd chanted, “U.S.A.!” Before the team’s victory over the Soviets, coach Herb Brooks reportedly told his players, “You are born to be a player. You are meant to be here at this time. This is your moment.”
As followers of Jesus, we, too, are made for this moment in history. We are called to be a positive presence in the world, one that Jesus likened to salt. In ancient times, salt was incredibly valuable. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in salt. This payment was called the “salarium,” which is where our word “salary” comes from. Ever heard the phrase, “He’s not worth his salt?” Now you know where it came from.
The salt used in the Holy Land was either mined from the salt cliffs along the Dead Sea, which were seven miles long and several hundred feet high, or evaporated from the sea’s waters. Often, when this salt was exposed to the elements or mixed with dirt, it lost its flavor. Such salt was worthless. So it is with our witness and influence for Christ. Once tainted by the world and corrupted by sin, it loses its essential purity and holiness.
Pure salt is preserving, penetrating, purifying, and pleasing. Pure salt can bring out the best. Salt blends and adds flavor to food. In fact, there are some foods that are better off not eaten, if there is no salt! So too, an authentic and pure follower of Jesus Christ will flavor the world around him—not the other way around. In these verses, Jesus is reminding us that we are created with a purpose and placed here in this moment of history to provide that positive presence and influence! The Creator made you to be like salt for such a time as this.
There is a story involving two baseball Hall of Famers: Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, the legendary home run hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. During a World Series game between their teams, Berra was engaging in his usual banter, encouraging his teammates while trying to throw off the Milwaukee batters. When Aaron came up to bat, Berra tried distracting him by saying, “Henry, you’re holding the bat wrong. You’re supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark.” Aaron didn’t say anything, but when the next pitch came, he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Berra and said, “I didn’t come up here to read.”
Men, you and I stand at the plate of life with God’s designed purpose to be a Provider of a pure and positive example. Let’s be worth our salt!
- Is there any spiritual impurity that has crept into your life that would cause your influence to be corrupted and rendered worthless?
- How would you rate your godly influence? Are you providing a positive example and making a positive impact with your life as Jesus expects of us?
- Pray and ask God to cleanse and purify you and restore your godly influence so that you can provide a pure and positive example for those you love and lead.