Salt of the earth…

A beautiful image for post modern world

You are the salt of the earth. This is one of the beautiful images Jesus uses for his disciples. Whatever he uses for his disciples is already lived by him. Some specialities of salt are…

• Salt has different relations with different items producing different effects. (giving taste, being a preservative, cleansing agent, medicinal agent etc). So the same salt produces different effects with different items in different quantities. The difference is written all over. And the context is super significant .
• When appropriate and adequate quantity is useful, inadequate or excessive quantity can create problems or is ineffective.
• The salt becomes useless if it loses the saltiness too.

Salt is capable of producing many productive effects. But its efficacy is extremely dependent on the substance with which it interacts. In three cases it becomes ineffective; if the quantity is inadequate or excessive or when the saltiness is lost.

The disciple is also called to be salt in their mission. We have to respect the uniqueness of each situation and persons. The mission is only effective at a very adequate quantity of salt. If the missionary’s saltiness is gone, the mission is ineffective. Even if the saltiness is there, the quantity of addition should be appropriate — not excessive because of over enthusiasm or inadequate due to any circumstances.

I believe this is a beautiful image that appeals to postmodern sensibilities.