DAY 16 – The Salt Principle | 21-Day Devotional on Jesus’ Beatitudes and Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.”

Considering our topic today, I would you answer this question: “Who are the people who have made a difference in my life?”

The answer to this question reveals the “salt” principle. Historically, there were four uses for salt.

1. To Purify: Indicated by is brightness, ability to soften hard water and remove toxic metals

2. To Offer: As currency, and something required with offerings by the ancient Hebrews

3. To Preserve: As a chemical that retards decay in meat, allowing storage without refrigeration

4. To Flavor: As an enhancement to the taste of food

A single word that can best describe the function of salt is INFLUENCE.

In Leviticus 2:13, God gave a command to the Hebrews that included the use of salt;
“And every offering of your grain offering you shall season with salt; you shall not allow the salt of the covenant of your God to be lacking from your grain offering. With all your offerings you shall offer salt.”

God wanted the people use salt, not for flavor or for preservation. He wanted the people to include salt with all their offerings because it represented God's influence in their lives.

Jesus said, for salt to lose its taste and saltiness, is equivalent to a loss of influence––not our influence over others, but God's influence in us. Jesus in Mark 9:50, “Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”

This is an example of the salt principle at work inside the believer that can have the effect of bringing peace with others. We cannot hope to influence others positively if we are not being influenced by God.

As Jesus said, “Apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

REFLECTION QUESTION:
How does salt represent God’s influence?

ACTION ITEMS BASED ON TODAY'S LESSON: