Gospel of salt

One of the most surprising statements of Jesus is that his followers are called to be the salt of the earth (Mt 5.13). If it hadn't been Jesus who spoke this metaphor, it would have seemed crazy to me. Is not the gospel foolishness for those who do not believe? Paul told the Corinthians that God wisely arranged for the world to know him through the folly of preaching, that is, those who believe. (1 Co 1.21). I did not understand it well in my first years with Christ (being with Christ is not the same as being in Christ).

An ancient tale relates that there was a king who had three daughters. On one occasion the king asked each of them in what way they loved him. The first two strove to affirm that they loved their father more than anything in the world, the most unlikely and beautiful. When it was the turn of the youngest, she said: "Your Majesty, Father, I love you more than salt." The king was greatly disturbed by this unusual statement and not only reprimanded his daughter, but had all the salt removed from the palace and the region. It wasn't long before eating became untenable. Neither sweets nor tasteless foods could awaken the delight of a good table. The king finally understood his daughter's words. Forgiveness came and salt was once again the main ingredient on the king's table. Salt is important for flavor.

In the Old Testament, salt was a symbol of incorruption and even fidelity to the Lord (Numbers 18:19). I believe Jesus was saying that. A Christian is not salt for flavor if he is not whole and faithful, if he does not practice a gospel of salt and spread it like seeds of hope. The attempt to season the world has its risks: they will persecute us, they will beat us, they will despise us. A glance at the Middle East today would be enough to corroborate it. However, the gospel will triumph because the Bible affirms it.

The Christian knocks on the door; it opens. -Hello-. "Hello, what do you want?" "Nothing, I just came to bring you a little salt." - Well, thanks, we don't need it here- And the door closes. Like this no more. The world sometimes has a strange opinion of Christianity because we are not what Jesus says. We do not flavor, we do not preserve, we do not infiltrate the tasteless flavors of the world's cake to try to improve its taste. And the doors are closed because we offer Christ as one more commodity, as one more product to satisfy the consumerist desires of a society that breathes for what it consumes. The salt has to be mixed with the other ingredients, it has to penetrate until it becomes a uniform mass, it has to predominate so that the hidden flavors stand out. Even the sweets have a pinch of salt to fix the sweetness. There are a lot of sweet people out there who need a pinch of salt, the gospel of salt; that of relationships with sinners (sin sometimes seems sweet), that of putting oneself in the place of the other, that of piety and human and evangelical solidarity.

If we are not the salt of Jesus' refinery, we will become more and more like the world that we intend to influence with the gospel. “… But if the salt becomes insipid… it is no longer good for anything, but for people to discard it and trample it” (Mt 5.13b). Was Jesus hard? In no way. Christianity is new flavor, it is new life. If we are not witnesses to what we have seen and heard and humbly display a genuinely Christian testimony, then we are not salt. We must impact people by provoking in them the desire to follow Christ and instilling in them with sincere devotion the practice of a life of love, mercy and justice according to the word of God. If we stop mingling with sinners (not sin), they will never know that we are the salt of Christ on earth, we will never know if we really are so filled with the Spirit as to flavor, escort the souls seeking deliverance to the gates of the Gospel for a definitive encounter with the Lord.

It is never too late to propose to be the salt of the earth. You have to believe it and make it firm in your heart. Start practicing it in your home, your first ministry; the most sensitive and wonderful. Try to be salt to your children and spouse. That is my great challenge as a Christian; may they see Christ in me and above me. Sure they still see a pale image of what I want to be, but I keep that longing in God's promises. And He knows it. As for you, beloved brother and sister, start to taste! The Lord will help you in your attempt.

God bless your Word!