Northfield Methodist Church

Dear Friends

Today our theme is 'Getting out of the salt-shaker'. Our gospel reading comes from Matthew 5:13, where Jesus says: "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 by men." Strong words by Jesus - we need to take note of them!

In ancient times salt was precious. The Romans esteemed salt highly. For a while their soldiers were paid in salt. This is the origin of the word 'salary' and also the expressions 'worth his salt' and 'earning his salt'. Note also the Afrikaans word 'soldy' which also means salary. The first of the great Roman roads was the 'Via Salaria' the salt road.

So, how can we interpret the words of Jesus? Firstly I think he is saying that those who follow and believe in Him are precious and special. When we compare the church-going population to the unchurched population it is clear that the folk who are prepared to publicly acknowledge Jesus are actually few and far between. People who have the love of God in their hearts and who are prepared to tell others are special and precious in the eyes of God.

Secondly, in ancient times salt was also used as acknowledgement of the covenants made between God and humankind. As Christians we are to preserve all aspects of the new covenant which came with Jesus. We are to tell other about the good news.

A third interpretation could be that a little salt goes a long way. Very little salt is required to season food. Jesus started his ministry with just a few men and women. The Christian faith has spread around the globe with hundreds of millions of people professing to be Christians.

God Bless

The Ministry Team