Salt of the Earth – Matthew 5:13
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.”
When Jesus calls his followers the “salt of the earth,” they are to be the flavor that brings bland living to life. Christians are supposed to live the most attractive lives and carry the most joy, regardless of their circumstance.
We should throw the best parties, hold the greatest traditions, and have the healthiest families. Our marriages should thrive, growing more intimate as time goes by. Our friendships should be the most authentic and meaningful.
As the salt of the earth, Christians should also be the most creative people on the planet. Whether artists, teachers, government officials, or movie producers, followers of Christ have access to a realm of creativity and inspiration that goes beyond someone who does not follow Jesus. This is not because they are more naturally gifted, but because the empowerment of the Holy Spirit which God freely gives those who trust in Christ. Christians should be setting the standard in the world of art and entertainment because their natural gifts of creativity are combined with the very inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
Sadly, neither of these ideals are the reality for the Christian community as a whole in America. Generally, we are not living lives that people outside the Kingdom of God are excited to join in on. If anything, many Christians have the opposite effect, pushing people further away from the idea of following Jesus and identifying with Christianity. We are not the ones making the best art in culture and we are not leading the way in entertainment. Instead, many Christians choose, sometimes unconsciously, to escape mainstream culture by only listening to Christian radio, not getting involved in community activities outside the church, or never spending quality time with people who don’t share their beliefs. It might not be an intentional effort, but nonetheless the negative result is a Christian subculture that lives for itself, creates stuff for itself, and often impacts only itself.
Discussion –
What are your gifts, talents, and passion? Instead of just living in the Christian subculture, what does it look like for us to offer our gifts, talents, and passions to the world around us?