Scripture: Luke 14:34-35
[Jesus said,] “Salt is good. But if salt loses its flavor, how will it become salty again? It has no value, neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. People throw it away. Whoever has ears to hear should pay attention.”
Thought for the Day: I might have ears to hear, but I do not understand. That’s definitely the way I used to feel in regard to these couple of verses. The flavor of salt and manure piles don’t necessarily go together, at least in my mind. It was only when I learned a few years ago that salt was not only used as a fertilizer, but it was placed on manure as a way of slowing its decomposition. The salt referenced here wasn’t much like our table salt today. It had a lot more minerals in it, but over time, it would begin to disintegrate and lose its effectiveness as a fertilizing agent. One could tell by taste, and if it was losing its salty flavor, then it was not as useful as a fertilizer. A lot of Jesus’ metaphors and parables were connected to agriculture, which makes sense. In the case of salt, our calling is to be like an effective fertilizer upon the earth, in hopes of producing a healthy harvest. How does that relate to your daily life?
Prayer: With the gifts I have – gifts from you, O Merciful God – may I be a part of the much larger work of plowing, planting, growing, maintaining and reaping. Wherever I fit is fine. Amen.
A Week From Friday
