As I'm reviewing Matthew, chapter 5—the Sermon on the Mount—one of the first statements Jesus makes...
is also one of the most familiar:
“You are the salt of the earth.” — Matthew 5:13
I’ve heard that verse so much of my life that I don't really stop to consider what Jesus is really teaching us...
Why salt?
Well, salt does many things:
It preserves, heals, enhances flavor,
and perhaps most importantly,
it creates thirst.
Salt Preserves
Before refrigerators were invented, salt was used to slow decay.
In much the same way, followers of Christ are called to stand against the moral decay of the world around them.
Not by force, political power, or persuasion.
But through faithful obedience to God and His word.
Salt Heals
Anyone who has poured salt into a wound knows it can sting.
But it will also help cleanse.
The truth of God’s Word often works the same way.
Sometimes it will wound our conscience before it brings healing,
but its purpose is always restoration.
Salt Creates Thirst
And I think this may be Jesus’ primary point.
When people encounter a true, Spirit-filled follower of Christ, they should become curious.
There should be something different:
a peace that transcends understanding, a hope that circumstances can’t steal, an irresistible love that points beyond itself.
Something that makes them thirst for the God we serve.
Because the goal of the Christian life isn’t to draw attention to ourselves.
It’s to help others see the goodness of God and desire to know Him more deeply.
And perhaps that’s a good question for all of us today:
Do our lives make people thirst for Jesus?
— Drew
And before I go, I want to wish a Happy Father’s Day to all the dads reading this.
Thank you for the countless ways you preserve, guide, protect, and point the next generation toward Christ.
Forward this to someone
who needs it today!
And reply with any thoughts or questions,
I respond to every one!
Join other believers discovering
not just what they believe—
but why it’s true.
|
