13 “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 underfoot. Matthew 5:13

Salt is both good and bad. When Jesus spoke these words, salt was primarily used as a food preservative.

Here are just a few uses of salt: Salt preserves food, adds a touch of flavor to otherwise bland food, melts ice to help make ice cream, melts snow and ice, raises blood pressure if ingested too much, tempers boiling water, is used to flavor tea in Mongolia, and is worthless just laying on the ground waiting to be mined.

One year in Scout camp, I decided to play a prank on the diners at my assigned dining table. I unscrewed the salt shaker lid and waited. Sure enough, someone dumped the entire shaker full on salt on his turkey and gravy. I thought it was hilarious until the dining hall monitor made me eat every last bit on that plate after all the others left the table. Salt is great on turkey and mash potatoes but terrible when there is a little turkey and potatoes on top of a mound of gravy salt!

So, what is the application for us? Salt is great for its designed purposes. In fact, it’s a necessity in many instances.

It’s no good in the salt shaker or in a bag on the shelf. It needs to be sprinkled about sparingly. It needs to go into the culture to flavor and preserve it.

A little goes a long way.