“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. Matthew 5:13
I don’t know about yours, but our living room is hardly ever used when somebody drops by our house. Our dining room and kitchen are one big room, and that’s where you’ll find everybody. They’re either hanging out at the island or sitting at our table. It’s comfy too because now we have nice, soft seats! We actually use desk chairs because it’s perfect for the boys doing school. They aren’t big and bulky, they’re adjustable, and they’re in a bright, fun color.
If it’s just my dad over before an evening in the woods, he’ll usually lounge at the island while I’m doing my wifely duty of pretending to look busy in the kitchen. My hubby and boys tend to enjoy the great entertainment of watching me get out my little broom to clean up the crumbs or dirt that was tracked in during the day. The comments fly as I roll my eyes and ignore them.
My dad finally asked, “What are you sweeping?” When I told him, he looked at me doubtfully and I watched him search for the supposed pile I told him I had going. I don’t think he really believed me until I presented it to him after I was finished. I explained how it drives me nuts feeling stuff on the bottom of my bare feet. Of course, my son’s solution was not to walk around in bare feet.
Seeing Dad’s grin, I knew I was in trouble. He informed the boys that if they wanted to really drive me crazy, all they’d have to do is take a little salt every once in a while and sprinkle a bit out onto the floor. Really? This is what he’s teaching his grandchildren! He’s my dad, shouldn’t he have my back? Instead, he’s giving ideas on how to make me nuts when I’m in bare feet! That wonderful hubby of mine thought sea salt would be even better. Thanks guys.
Did you know that not only the disciples were considered the salt of the earth, but so are we? It would drive me nuts trampling on salt in my kitchen, but how much worse would it be to think we were no longer good for anything but to be thrown down and trampled on? Are we like salt who’s doing God’s work to preserve the earth or are we just riding the tide of hate that I’ve been seeing?
With everything on the news, listening to people in the stores, and all the terrible ways we talk to one another, I don’t see us preserving like salt always did. I see a time when immaturity is taking over in our adults and being passed on to our children. Instead of preserving dignity, we want to be the first to cut down to get our point across. That doesn’t preserve dignity and doesn’t show the value of feelings and opinions in other people. It doesn’t nurture respect. It grows hate.
It made me angry when I had just read about all the hate and bad things that were happening in the United States and around the world, then heard my boys battling about petty things. I started thinking about if I ever see people trying to be the salt of the earth anymore. The answer surprised me because I often see it in those same boys who were battling. When my youngest looks at me and says, “Mom, you’re awesome!” I see him seasoning and preserving our relationship. When my oldest puts a supportive hand on my shoulder or asks if I need a hug, there it is again! I catch them doing it with each other too.
The problem is that we tend to get caught at our worst and stop being effective in showing the love of God. What can you do today to season life with love instead of adding a few more shakes of hate into a world that has too much of it as it is? Preserve today so you don’t get thrown out and trampled on tomorrow!
