Saltiness

In the ancient world, salt was one of the most valuable commodities. Much like gold or oil today, salt was desired by all of the nations of the world. Wars were fought over salt; black market deals were made; wealth was made and destroyed… all based on this little white crystal. In many nations salt was better than currency. Roman soldiers were often paid in salt; indeed, the root of our term “salary” is derived from salt!

Salt had many uses in ancient times. It acted as a preservative for meat and other foods, allowing food to be stored for longer periods of time. Salt was also used for flavoring, giving new dimensions to regular foods. And unbeknownst to people in the ancient world, salt is a necessary part of life. It is the basis of the electrolytes that each of us needs for our bodies to function properly. Salt in the right quantities is needed for the body. Interestingly, too much salt is bad for us. It adds to high blood pressure and heart disease. However, most people in the ancient world yearned for salt; it wasn’t readily available or accessible to most people. Indeed, most people couldn’t afford enough salt to meet their needs; they were simply too poor to be able to afford it. Thus, salt was strongly desired by all people.

During Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells his disciples that they are this precious commodity. “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 by men” (Mt. 5:13). In Luke 14, Jesus makes a similar statement: “Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.” Jesus reminds his disciples that they are the salt of the earth: they have come to bring goodness, taste, and life to people who need it. They are called to be salt so that people can come to know God. Jesus reminds them to always remain distinct and “salty.” The last thing the world needs is for the disciples of Jesus to lose their saltiness and start becoming bland, like the rest of the world. We are called to season, not to “bland” in. Intriguingly, Luke’s version of this story comes amidst the discussion of counting the cost of being a disciple. Jesus tells his followers to decide whether or not it is worth it to them to continue to follow him!

The question still stands for us today: Do we want to be salt or do we want to be bland like everyone else? Jesus calls us to remain salty, and to use this nature to show the world what real life is like. But we have to decide: Is it worth it to be different? Is it worth it to us to NOT be like everyone else? Simply put, are we willing to be salt or do we want to become lifeless (and worthless)? What the world needs is salt. The students of KU need salt in their lives. So do members of your family, your coworkers, your neighbors… The world needs to taste what salt is like through our lives. Ultimately, our example will bring goodness, flavor, and life into a dead, dull, bland world.