The Salt Series – The Purpose

Can we begin with a word of prayer?

“O Lord, protect me from error and don’t let me write a single letter you have not ordained beforetime from the foundation of the world. Would you bless my readers and this “pitiful” writer, would you open our eyes so we can see our weakness in the light of your strength, would you reveal Yourself to us through this series so that we can see ourselves in the process, and finally, O God please stir up in our hearts a passion for your name so we can become the salt of the earth, Amen”

Sometime last year, I picked up my Bible for my usual study and turned to Matthew 5:13. Little did I know God was about to take me on a journey that lasted over a couple of months on a single, simple phrase in scripture; “You are the salt of the earth…” Isn’t it amazing when God just sits you on a single verse (in my case, half a verse) and allows you to enjoy the pleasures of His revelations! As much as I tried to move away from the phrase, thinking I knew all there was to it, I felt a strong urge from the Holy Spirit to take a closer look at it again and immediately something new would jump at me. It’s hard to put this experience to words. Over the past 5 years, I have been engaged in the ministry of texting people daily with a scripture, an inspiration or a quote to bless and challenge them and myself. I have done this consistently (let’s say 95%) over half a decade. I started with my house fellowship group and today the audience base has grown to over 150 who receive the Daily Word. The Salt Series has been by far the most talked about and influential series I have done in a very long time; with tens of people requesting for the entire series so they can bless others with them. Why did I bother to mention that? The reason is that I am praying very hard that this series blesses you as it has blessed and transformed me personally and others as well.

My intention is to keep each part of the series considerably shorter than normal so I can cover more of what God shared with me over the months and hopefully allow you ponder over each part a step a time.

So what is a Salt? Let’s hear what our English friends from Cambridge have to say: “Salt is a common white substance found in sea water and in the ground, which is used especially to add flavour to food or to preserve it.” I found this definition absolutely fitting and we will come back to it over the course of the series; it is common, white, exists in sea water and in the ground, adds flavour to food and preserves it. When Jesus took his disciples away to a mountain, He began to teach them the principles of the Christian faith; how to live as pilgrims on earth and still be indigenous enough to influence the world they lived in. Let’s not make any mistake about it; Jesus was not speaking to unbelievers and sinners. The audience were saved (well, hopefully Judas at the time as well). But you must also understand that when Christ spoke to an audience then, He not only declared things to the immediate listeners, but also to the generation that would come afterwards, and that includes us. Let’s bring it home now. This series is primarily addressed to Christians, in the hope that non-Christians would read and fall in love with the person of Christ and put their faith in Him.

What is the purpose of salt? What is your purpose? What makes salt so essential? Salt is essential because it brings solution to problems. Consider yourself the salt and know this: your life was designed to be a solution to your neighbour’s problem. That’s your purpose, so live it out! God did not send Christ on the Cross to save you so you can wear the best of clothes and have lots of money. Prosperity is just 1/100th of the heartbeat of God compared to His passion for you to make a difference in this world by investing your life into others for His glory and your eternal joy. Don’t lose the focus, stay on track.

A pot of soup without salt repulses the taste bud in your mouth; so will your life if you do not make a difference in the world around you. Romans 8:19 rightly declares, “For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.” The world you live in is longing for something that money, Hollywood, food, sex and sin cannot fill, but God can through you. Are you ready to live up to your calling? Be a salt, make a difference.