Midweek Devotional: Salt Without Savor

Salt without Savor

by Kim Larsen

Mark 9:50, “Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another.”

We have had an ongoing dilemma at our house recently. I have been eliminating processed foods out of my diet, just because I am trying to lose some weight. So, of course I am eating more fresh fruit and vegetables. As a result of that my taste buds have changed and are, “out of whack” as my daughter puts it. I think everything is way too salty, so I don’t season my family’s food correctly.   We’re finding it very difficult to strike a balance right now. Everything tastes so bland to them that they find it unappetizing!

Jesus is equating that blandness for Christians who have lost their first love. If there is only a profession of godliness, no love for Christ, there is no power for good. The life can exert no saving influence upon the world. You must be of my grace (Jesus says) in order to be a savor of life unto life. Then there will be no rivalry, no self seeking, no desire for the highest place. You will have that love which seeks not her own, but another’s wealth and well being. Bland food robs the partaker of the pleasure associated with eating.

There was a study done will into the 20^th Century of the effects of the lack of salt on the body. Dr Robert McCance recruited 4 volunteers and desalinated them. He then fed them vegetables that had been boiled three times, specially made bread and synthetic milk. The food wasn’t a pleasure to eat, but soon the volunteers lost their sense of taste. What few strong flavors managed to get through were altered enough to be repugnant. Eventually they became too exhausted to eat. They could barely function due to fatigue. Their blood became dark and sticky. Without salt to regulate the water consumption of their cells, the cells were filling up with water and swelling. The trial lasted 10 days after which the volunteers were given a salty meal. Within minutes they could taste again, which delighted them more than to have release from the fatigue. Interesting isn’t it? We need salt to taste, to live. It’s quite an honor to be called the salt of the earth! Colossians 4:6 tells us.” Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Again we find the reference to salt seasoning our lives . What we say, what we do. It matters! Be kind, be thoughtful, encourage those you meet, you never know when someone may need some salt!