November 13
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out . . .” Matthew 5:13
When we stop to consider the many ways salt adds something to our lives it is incredible! Not only is it a delightful seasoning in the food we eat, making it flavorful and leaving us wanting more, but it is also used in the healing of our bodies: in gentle cleansing solutions for cuts and scrapes, in eye drops and contact lens cleaner, as an oral rinse, or in IV solutions, as a soak for our aches or sprains, in addition to aiding in the function of our digestive systems. It is also used as a cleaner: in toothpastes, scrubbing solutions etc. And as we prepare for the snowy, icy winter days ahead, the DPW bins are filled with salt for the roads and many of us purchase salt products for our walkways. Salt is amazingly diverse!
Salt is a mineral, a product of this earth. Its chemical content, NaCl, is stable and can last for years, ready to be used; its flavor remains the same. But, when mixed with water, it becomes diluted, and the more water, the less the flavor of the salt is recognized. The sodium chloride in our blood is approximately 0.9%, almost identical to sea water! Those numbers must remain constant, for when that percent changes, is out of balance, our health and the health of our oceans change as well. How amazing is it that God created these vital life forces sustaining species of different qualities, yet with the same sodium content?
If we are like grains of salt, then like a small amount of it in a vast quantity of water, we too can become diluted, and it is easy in the busy-ness of life, in the singular and often selfish activities that we chose to be involved in, to be swamped, lost. We become tasteless, stale, not recognizing the importance of our contribution to the whole community God has placed in our lives. Our seasoning, as small and insignificant as it may seem to us, has a vital part in His healthy, clean, delightful and growing, creation!
We are called “the salt of the earth” for a reason. God has created us to add to this world, to this environment, something that was missing. Our presence and talents give flavor and a necessary ingredient in this recipe of life. These gifts, our grains of goodness, light and laughter, add something vital to this delightful beautiful world God has given us. Salt is as vital to us, as we are to His earth.
God of all creation, how amazing you are! Help us to recognize the importance of the gifts you have given us, and to use them for the good of all.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson
You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out . . .” Matthew 5:13
When we stop to consider the many ways salt adds something to our lives it is incredible! Not only is it a delightful seasoning in the food we eat, making it flavorful and leaving us wanting more, but it is also used in the healing of our bodies: in gentle cleansing solutions for cuts and scrapes, in eye drops and contact lens cleaner, as an oral rinse, or in IV solutions, as a soak for our aches or sprains, in addition to aiding in the function of our digestive systems. It is also used as a cleaner: in toothpastes, scrubbing solutions etc. And as we prepare for the snowy, icy winter days ahead, the DPW bins are filled with salt for the roads and many of us purchase salt products for our walkways. Salt is amazingly diverse!
Salt is a mineral, a product of this earth. Its chemical content, NaCl, is stable and can last for years, ready to be used; its flavor remains the same. But, when mixed with water, it becomes diluted, and the more water, the less the flavor of the salt is recognized. The sodium chloride in our blood is approximately 0.9%, almost identical to sea water! Those numbers must remain constant, for when that percent changes, is out of balance, our health and the health of our oceans change as well. How amazing is it that God created these vital life forces sustaining species of different qualities, yet with the same sodium content?
If we are like grains of salt, then like a small amount of it in a vast quantity of water, we too can become diluted, and it is easy in the busy-ness of life, in the singular and often selfish activities that we chose to be involved in, to be swamped, lost. We become tasteless, stale, not recognizing the importance of our contribution to the whole community God has placed in our lives. Our seasoning, as small and insignificant as it may seem to us, has a vital part in His healthy, clean, delightful and growing, creation!
We are called “the salt of the earth” for a reason. God has created us to add to this world, to this environment, something that was missing. Our presence and talents give flavor and a necessary ingredient in this recipe of life. These gifts, our grains of goodness, light and laughter, add something vital to this delightful beautiful world God has given us. Salt is as vital to us, as we are to His earth.
God of all creation, how amazing you are! Help us to recognize the importance of the gifts you have given us, and to use them for the good of all.
Copyright© 2014 Kathleen A. Matson