“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its
taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything
except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.” (Matthew 5:13)
Beloved,
In 2003, a group of friends developed a line of clothing
called, “Salt Life.” They were connected through their passion around their time
spent in the ocean. These friends embarked on a journey, “to develop a brand
that wasn’t just a logo; they wanted it to represent a style of life.” Salt
Life encourages its customers to live for a passion for the outdoors and to
experience all that the ocean has to offer. It is not uncommon to see bumper
stickers on cars all over the Southeast spreading the “Salt Life” culture.
Christians were the original ones who were called to live
and spread the “Salt Life.” Jesus said Christians are the salt of the earth. Although
salt had many purposes in the first century, it was primarily used to enhance
the flavor of and to slow the decay of food. The church is called to be the
salt of the earth as we enhance the flavor of life and arrest the decay and corruption
of the earth. How does the church live the “Salt Life”?
First, we live flavorful lives. Christians should live in
such a way to attract people to Jesus. Their speech should, “always be
gracious, seasoned with salt,” causing people to consider the
claims of Christ (Col 4:6). Proverbs 14:13, “By the mouth of a fool comes a rod
for his back, but the lips of the wise will preserve them.” We can
preserve the earth with our “salty” speech.
Secondly, we live holy lives. In the first century, salt
would lose its taste and effectiveness as it was mixed with impure substances. Craig
Bloomberg writes with that the common problem with salt was of it, “being mixed
with various impure substances and therefore becoming worthless as a
preservative.” Salt could no longer function in its designed way because it became
defiled. Likewise, the church will no longer function in its designed way if it
becomes defiled. The church has to remain holy and pure from the world if it is
going to slow the decay of corruption in the earth.
If a clothing brand could embark on a journey to create a “Salt
Life” culture, should we not do so even more? We have been rescued from the
dominion of darkness through the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We no
longer are destined for wrath but to obtain salvation in Christ. If a group of
friends could use a logo to develop a Salt Life culture, then blood-bought
believers can strive to create a true “Salt Life” culture.
Beloved, let us live flavorful and holy lives. Let us strive
for a church culture where our speech is seasoned with salt as we live as
blameless and pure children of God in the midst of this crooked and depraved
generation (Phil. 2:15). We are the salt of the earth. Therefore, let us live
like it as we give flavor and preservation to the culture around us.
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image credit (www.saltlife.com)
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