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 light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.
Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its
stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine
before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Matt. 5: 13-16 (NIV)
The passage above is such a remarkable passage from Jesus' famous Sermon on the
Mount. It reveals God's expectations for the believer in living his life here on earth, and that
expectation revolves around two virtues: Salt and Light. These virtues are crucial for
believers to exhibit in all aspects of their lives, and in today’s devotional, we will deconstruct
them in a manner that will help us embody them in all our affairs.
So, what is Salt? Salt is a mineral compound used for flavouring and preservation, and
Jesus particularly focused on its flavouring aspect in His teaching. When we plug a believer
into the combined flavouring and preservation attributes of salt, we understand that a
believer is supposed to be the agency for preservation and flavour for the earth. In
preserving, we uphold the values of the King of Kings and His Kingdom of righteousness on
earth by maintaining the ancient landmarks of godliness and righteousness. Failure to
preserve these values will lead to the corruption that breeds impiety, resulting in an
implosion.
In addition to preservation, we are also meant to act as a flavouring agent by being
ambassadors of the kingdom in such a manner that causes others to desire to be part of us.
Our lives should evoke a marvel that can only be experienced in a love relationship with the
Almighty. To live any less than this divine requirement is akin to a salt losing its saltiness and
is no longer fit for the task of kingdom advancement, hence, it is destined for the garbage
where it is of no use. One word that best describes the salt-like attribute in a believer is
Character.
