Matthew 5:13, A Bird's Tail

Mattthew 5:13 “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.

         My wife was challenged by her dad in days long past to put salt on a bird's tail. She was told if she did she would be able to catch it. Try as she might she never was able to achieve her objective. When she later talked with her dad about why she could not do it she recalls only hearing how much he laughed.

         This is the same message we get when we try to figure out what it means for persons to be "the salt of the earth". There are sermons and children's sermons that analyze the many ways grains of salt can be understood. We might as well pass the task of being salt on to someone else. We can not quite grasp what it is God wants. We might treat the question of "how are we salt" as a multiple choice answer. It could be a purifier, healing agent, something used to enhance flavor and the list could go on. One might as well be chasing a bird to put salt on it's tail. I believe it is more beneficial to focus on what leads others to desire being "the salt of the earth". Love becomes purer and more flavourable with salt appeal (Salt works!) with this in mind. Many others, continue gliding aimlessly, seeking for themselves, what we are discovering. Living according to the gospel makes a difference.

         WE are the salt of the earth. As a community we share with others what is accomplished in unity. We no longer choose to fly solo above dulling apathy. Who wants salt that is overused (out of fuel)? As with so many grains of salt, we realize that no task is impossible when God has his hand on it. Salt in great quantity is put on highways of life during icy seasons so the route is more easily travelled. No one single piece of salt could do that job.The same might be said of the churches role in making the coldness of the world know the warmth of God's love. We like salt keep others in the world from slipping away to certain doom.

         We ARE salt. Salt is a conviction agent that enhances what it is put upon. Many of us use salt to enhance the flavor of food. When salt is put on a wound we tend to stand up and take notice that something is happening. The Words of God are like so many grains of salt. When put upon wounds persons can be lead to repent and choose a better way. Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt, because of her unwillingness to want to listen to the sin's wound. Lot's wife tried to continue to put salt on what had become an evil place, where people refused to change.On the other hand God makes us and others to want to fly when we make good use of the salt he gives us. God gets the salt on our tail and from then on hope/life takes off to places never seen before.

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