The Salt of the Earth

My whole life I have heard the expression, "He is the salt of the earth". I am very familiar with the Scripture passage in Matthew 5:13 where Jesus tell His disciples, "You are the salt of the earth". So this morning after I read this very passage, I pondered it for a while. What exactly does this mean, "the salt of the earth"?

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodded under foot of men." (KJV)

"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 by men." (NIV)

If I am to be the salt of the earth, I need to know what exactly is the purpose of salt. What does it do?

• salt enhances the flavor of food--It simply makes it taste better. In fact, there are some foods, like tomatoes or eggs, that I simply cannot eat without salt. I need to enhance the people around me....make them better. Do my actions enhance others? In order to enhance the "earth" around me, I need to be loving, kind, joyful, forgiving, merciful, meek, gentle, a peacemaker, and I need to pray continually.
• salt acts as a preservative---a preservative keeps food from spoiling. Hopefully if I am exhibiting the qualities mentioned above, I will be preserving my children.....I will be teaching them the way to serve God, to obey Him, ultimately leading them to their own salvation.
• salt melts coldness--what better way to melt the coldness of the hearts of the world around you than by living a life full of the fruits of the spirit (love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance).

But what happens when salt gets wet? It loses its power. I want to avoid getting wet! I am striving to preserve my saltiness with prayer, Bible reading and study, fellowship and worship with other Christians, and most importantly, the grace of God.

"You are the salt of the earth."