To Be Salt!
To Be Salt by LaKisha M. Johnson
I like to cook. I would say that I loved to cook, but I like to cook. I am a very good cook. But it isn’t something I find myself enjoying as much as I used to. Now, I love to bake. If I could spend time in the kitchen every day I would. I would bake something fresh every day. I have found in cooking and baking, that salt is essential to both. Too much salt and I can ruin a meal or a cake. I remember the first time I baked brownies from scratch. I used salted butter and added a teaspoon of salt. Let’s just say, those weren’t my best brownies. Even though the chocolate was dark and sweet, the salt over powered it, the next time I baked the brownies, because I was such a rookie, I tried to completely eliminate the salt. I put no salt in the brownies thinking this would solve the problem. After all brownies were sweet, why did they need salt in them anyway? I found out quickly that they needed them, the brownies were good but they were missing something, a pinch or a kick of something. It was, it was missing the salt.
Matthew 5: 13-16 “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.” Salt is essential to baking, and I didn’t realize it until I began to understand the chemistry of baking. Salt is a preservative and just like with food, it brings out the fullness of the flavor while baking. We are the same to this world. Jesus began His sermons on the mountain, stating first (after the beatitudes) to His followers to go be “salt” to this world. Salt at that time was a precious commodity, not easily obtainable and very valuable. Salt is also used as a preservative. It keeps food from decaying. As Christians and Disciples of Christ, we should have the same impact on the world around us. We should be the flavor, the seasoning, the preservative to any situation. Salt also can be used to put out fires, meaning that we as Christian’s should be in position to put out the flame (gossip, lying, deceit etc).
If we are going to advance the kingdom on earth, we have to become who we are in Christ. We have to take the recipe (bible) and apply it to our daily living. Christ said clearly, if we lose our saltiness, how can we be made salty again? If we aren’t making impact in the world around us, what good are we? We aren’t we are useless. I pray today that you find your saltiness, that you become seasoning to those that need you so that you can go make impact for the Glory of God.
Prayer: Father we thank you for Jesus, for His outline for how we should live. Please show us the areas in our lives in which we don’t add to the values of others. We want to do more for you, so that the earth can be made whole. Thank you for clarity in your Word. In Jesus Name. Amen
LaKisha M. Johnson is mom, author, motivational speaker, minister and teacher. She is the host of Coffee and Conversations on “facebook live” Monday-Friday at 5:00 am central standard time and Sundays at 7:00 am central standard time. She hosts a pajama party for women, “Pillow Talk” several times throughout the year, walking them through God inspired truths, while providing a place of vulnerability and transparency to talk. To find out more information on her log on to lakishamjohnson.com and follow her on social media @justbeinglmj.