Salt

I am a churchgoer and a Bible reader, among other practices I do as part of being religious in my religion: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

I attend church as many Sundays as I possibly can. The idea that “[we] are the salt of the earth” keeps coming up, on so many Sundays, both in sermons and in Sunday School discussions.

Today I heard it again. It’s a reference found in the Bible, specifically in the gospel of St. Matthew:

“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” (Matt. 5:13, as part of Jesus Christ’s Sermon on the Mount)

I’ve been hearing this all my life, that everyone is “the salt of the earth.” But even until this day, I encounter some difficulty in fully grasping this metaphor. I understand the basic point, that if we lose our desire to be positive influences in the world we live in (this desire our “saltiness”), then we’re good-for-nothings. What I can’t seem to wrap my head around, however, is the fact that salt can indeed lose its savor. I’ve never experienced unsalty salt before. Quality Control & Assurance teams don’t typically release unsalty salt for distribution to consumers.

So today, when I again heard about “the salt of the earth,” I decided to try wrapping my head a different way around. I reflected upon all the times this winter that I’ve already witnessed salt get applied to icy sidewalks, roads, parking lots, and driveways. The results of pouring salt onto icy surfaces have blessed my life nearly every day since the outside temperatures hit freezing this year.

To expound on the particular ways that this type of salt blesses, I say unto you that first and foremost it helps you maintain solid footing while walking. Secondly, it eases your mind and comforts you when you fear that you perhaps may slip and fall.

I think we can be this kind of salt for each other. We can seek opportunities to help each other solidify footing on life paths that are hard. We can be each other’s comforters, guiding stars, and guardian angels.

If I had a Top 3 favorite songs of all time, Paul Simon and Arthur Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water” would hands-down rank there. I invite you to watch this video and listen carefully to the lyrics. Illustrates beautifully and perfectly in song what I mean by us being the “winter salt of the earth.”