YOU ARE THE SALT OF THE EARTH

On the picture you see the cook on the right and the steward on the left.  The cook and the steward  are the two crew members I usually always meet. This cook, however, had a problem, a major problem! When I met him he came to me in a rather panicky situation. When seafarers act that way, most of the time I know why: problems at home, problems on the ship with other crew members, conflict with the captain....all kinds of problems. I asked him what the problem was!  He said; " We are sailing to Japan tonight, the provisions were delivered to the ship today but some mistake was made............I have no salt....please help me! " ( Do you know what my first thought was?..............I have a text for my next sermon! ) I went back to Ladner purchased a few kilos of salt and brought it to the ship.....to the great delight and relief of the cook. You see, a good cook cannot make tasty food without salt...not even the best cook in the world! To keep the crew happy the cook needed salt.But can you imagine a cook asking for salt while in a few hours he would literally sail through a sea of salt!
As 21st Century citizens we are constantly warned by doctors that our salt intake is too high. We are addicted to salt. Just about every food item we buy in the store is loaded with salt ( and sugar ) Too much salt is dangerous....it can kill you.
Salt is cheap and there is plenty of it, however, it has not always been that way. Salt has always been very valuable in human society. If you read the history of salt you will find that nations and peoples have clashed in wars about salt. During a period of ancient Greek history history it was called ' theon ', which means divine.
Roman soldiers were paid their wages not in gold or silver coins but in salt! Did you know that the words  "salary " and " sale " derive from the word salt? In the middle ages salt was known as " the white gold ". I can go on and on with examples about salt but this we know ....salt always stood for that which was of high value and importance...Salt is amazing; It preserves, it purifies, it flavors and...... it stings!
Jesus in His sermon on the mount calls His disciples " The salt of the earth " he ordains them to be a blessing to the earth! To be the salt of the earth.....You are of great value...You are valuable...just like salt is. Jesus assures them they are to be used by God, and used on the widest possible scale...You are the salt of the earth" ...not just of Galilea or Israel...no the whole earth!
The next thing is imporant for all of us who confess to be followers of Christ;  Notice that when Jesus says this...he doesn't say, " be salt " or  " you must be salt " or " it would be nice nice if you were salt "...it's your choice to be salt...No he plainly says; " You are the salt of the Earth " You cannot separate the two! You cannot say; " I am a follower of Jesus Christ but I refuse to be salt." Someone says it this way; " You are either  a follower of Jesus Christ or you are not a follower and......if you are a follower of Jesus, then salt is what you are, whether you asked for it or not " .................Radical isn't it?......It even becomes more radical when you continue reading the text......" But.... if...... salt loses it's saltiness? But that's for another time.