Our verse today is inspired by the recent snow & ice that resulted in salt being spread on the roads. It reminds us of the many uses of salt, as long as it maintains its “saltiness”.
Matthew 5:13-18 says “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.”
One of the primary uses of salt in Jesus’ day was to preserve food. Salt kills harmful bacteria in food by starving it of moisture. In doing so, it effectively helps the food stay together instead of breaking down. Similarly, when we follow Jesus’ example, any number of things are more likely to be preserved and stay together – our family, our community, our body, and our mind.
Then Jesus gives us a graphic example of what happens when we lose our “saltiness” – we get thrown out and trampled underfoot because we no longer good for anything. Ouch! It is bad enough to be thrown out but then to be trampled on sounds particularly bad.
Salt also adds flavor to food and makes it more appealing. In the same way, Jesus followers can add flavor to our world but only once we allow Him to enter our lives and help us become “salty”.
Questions:
1) If Christians are the salt of the earth, how do they get their saltiness?
2) How does a “salty” Christian affect the world in comparison to someone who has lost their saltiness?
3) What are the biggest challenges in your life that keep you from becoming saltier?
4) What are one or two things you can do right away to start enhancing your own saltiness and the saltiness of your family?
Men's Small Group Blog 