Fun House of Mazes and Mirrors

Matthew 4:13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.”

In the Roman Empire, salt was so valuable that it was virtually worth it’s weight in gold. As a matter of fact, that’s where the word “salary” comes from: The Roman Centurians were paid a “salarium”—a specific weight in salt, for their duty. That’s where the phrase “He’s worth his salt” comes from, as well. 

So, when Jesus says “You are the salt of the earth”—he is saying, those of you following me, you are the valuable commodity on the earth. It’s akin to saying “You are the gold, the diamonds, the precious jewels”—you are the essence of value when He looks at the world. 

But, when salt loses flavor, it goes from being extremely valuable, to becoming completely worthless. He says, literally, “How will the earth be flavored, if you will not flavor it?”  If you do not live the true life of a Christian (laid out a few verses earlier in the beatitudes), you become worthless.

The point is not how much you know. If you know the truths of the kingdom, you are salt—but salt that does not flavor the world with the kingdom is worthy of being trampled upon—in the other Gospels, He says “not worthy of manure”…

Following Christ is about flavoring the world. It’s not about having the composition of a Christian, but acting out the character of Christ in the world—we are the value, all that is good and right in the world:  And if we are not, we are worthless.
Think about that today….

Peace and love, friends.