The other day, I was working on a puzzle — no, not the mental kind, rather the cardboard on the table kind. In that puzzle was a statement – it was after all a puzzle about words. It said Roman soldiers were paid in bags of SALT. The word that was tied to this history lesson (on the board) was SALARY. Wages? Payment?
In my mind I jumped! Why was THAT exciting to me? Well, I know that over time I have heard a lot of sermon segments wherein we, the saints, were equated to being salt. The scripture does say ‘Ye are the salt of the earth’. Usually, that was then explained as to its use as a preservative for foods, its necessity for retaining water, and it being a flavorful substance. I have heard of how we saints are supposed to be (behave) like salt; help people, flavor life, and hold the Holy Spirit. I, also, have heard the warnings about “don’t loose your savor (flavor)” or else you are of no use to anyone. Well, all that is okay, of course, but not EXCITING. Seeing the link between SALT and SALARY– now THAT excited me in my spirit.
A roman soldier was basically a paid mercenary. Often, he was in the job for the spoils of war. He served the empire but he also served himself. His payment in salt had to be VALUABLE or else he could not exchange it for other commodities that he really wanted. If his salt lost it’s taste, and, often, salt was his only SALARY, then HE WAS BROKE! The salt was thrown on the ground; WORTHLESS!
YE ARE SALT! That is another way of saying YOUR ARE VALUABLE. You have great worth! Your are greatly esteemed by the owner. God owns you. Wherever you go, you are HIS SALT – costly – He is using to conduct business. We so often talk about the value of the blood of Christ; yet it is not the medium of exchange God uses to conduct business on Earth. We have all heard how valuable the anointing oil is, but that oil is poured upon people and falls to the ground. It is not kept as the primary medium of exchange. SALT IS A BARGAINING CHIP. Salt is payment. Salt is blessing. You! Blessing!
There is an old cliché I have heard. It says, ‘he is worth his weight in salt’. What a thought! I know how much I weigh, but am I that valuable? You can just hear Simon saying to Jesus, “I’m not worth that much, boss”. Yet Christ called Simon: PETER – a rock. You might say that in God’s eyes he was ROCK SALT. There are a million things that can be done with rock salt! None of it’s uses is ‘worthless’. Furthermore, you always protect your salt (in vessels), you use your salt SPARINGLY (lest you run out of it), and you never, ever, give up your salt to someone for a cheaper product! In the Old world only fools ignored salt. Today we disrespect salt. Today we disrespect Christians. To God, however, you are too valuable; He will not give you up for “nothing”. He will, however, USE you up. And that is okay too, because that is of value to Him too. Accept who you are to God. Let Him show forth His riches for the world to see.
Original Copyright: © Anthony J. Massotti Th.M. 12/10200