THE SALT OF THE EARTH
Sakkie Parsons
Translated from Afrikaans: “Die Sout van die Aarde”
Translator: Robin Barker
When I re-read the below section from the Word, the Holy Spirit reminded me again of a few glorious things that I have not thought of in a while and I would like to share them with you.
Let us read the section – and I use both the King James Version as well as the New Living Translation:
MATTHEW 5:13-16
Teaching about salt and light13 “You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
14 “You are the light of the world—Like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
The first thing that struck me was:
MAT 5:1313 “You are the salt of the earth.. “
The King James Version reads as follows:
MAT 5:13 “Ye are the salt of the earth: …”
One major thing that salt does to me is that it makes me very thirsty.
Then I remembered again that my life should be like that – I must make people around me thirsty so that they want to become a Christian. People must look at me and have a strong urge to have this Jesus who I serve also in their lives. Because, Jesus looks to you and me and He says: “You are the salt of the earth.”
One day someone said to me:
“Sakkie, a person must not walk all over the world with your Bible and religion under your arm.”
Naturally you can go about it the wrong way – but you and I have our lives and look at what Jesus says in the following verse, just after He said that you and I are the salt of the earth:
MAT 5:14 “You are the light of the world—Like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.”
Many people talk a lot, but say little.
We, who are the salt of the earth, know that it is impossible to live in such a way that people cannot see what we stand for:
GAL2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
For this reason it is very difficult for me, actually impossible for me to remain quiet about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and no wonder because Jesus Himself says:
MATTHEW 5:15 No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.
Do you remember the last thing that you read from what I extracted out of Matthew for you?
MATTHEW 5:16 In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.
How do I do this?
GAL 2:20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Let you and I now live like the salt of the earth so that people around us will become thirsty and will also want to experience the gloriousness of being a child of God because they thirst through our lives and as we did, will react to the invitation from Jesus.
JOHN 7:37-39
Jesus Promises Living Water
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!”
38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink!” (Isaiah 58:11) For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”
39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Greetings,
Sakkie