I know it has been a really long time since I last posted on here, for that I am sorry. Life happens and things get pushed out of the way. Well, life is still happening but I felt like writing something and I have learned to get it written as soon as possible lest it flee my mind.
"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
In The Sermon On the Mount, Jesus tells His followers that they are, "the salt of the earth." Salt's role is to make things taste better, to make the thing it is applied to better. That is the common interpretation I have heard of this verse and I don't disagree with it. I do think there may be more to it than that though. You see I teach high school chemistry and I got to thinking about salt. What follows is a little bit of a chemistry lesson, sorry about that, but I promise it won't be too painful.
First I need to talk about water for a little while. One thing that almost everyone thinks they know about water is wrong. Contrary to popular opinion, water does not conduct electricity. Yes, you read that right, it doesn't conduct electricity. It is only when an ionic compound (that is a separate lesson and I won't bore you with it now.) is dissolved in it will water conduct electricity. Salt just happens to be an ionic compound. You see it is the salt in the water that allows electricity to flow through it. I think that is the Christian's role in the world, to be the salt that allows God's power to flow through the world. Yes, we should add flavor to the world but I think there is more to it. We are to be the conduit for God's power to flow through the world.
Now there is a funny thing about salt. Salt that isn't dissolved in water, salt in its solid form, doesn't conduct electricity very well at all. It isn't until it is immersed in water that it can live up to its full conductive potential. We as Christians are the same way. it isn't until we are in the world that we can live up to the full potential that God has called us to. If we stay within the walls of the church we become like salt in its solid form, a very poor conduit for the power of God. We need to venture out the doors of our church and enter the water.
(Important note. While it is true that pure water does not conduct electricity, that is not a license to start making toast in the shower. Your presence in the water adds enough salt and other electrolytes to make the water conductive. So please continue to obey the warnings on your electrical appliances.)
