A sprinkle of salt or the taste of sweetness gives flavor to what we eat.  As humans, we often crave foods that are salty or sweet, sometimes going overboard on how much of these snacks we eat since these flavors please our senses.  One taste is not always enough. These terms, salt and sweet, don’t just describe food, they are also used to describe a person’s character.

“You are so sweet, the salt of the earth.” 

Being the “salt of the earth” means you are a very good and honest person, respected for your pure heart.

Being a “sweet” person means you are kind, gracious, thoughtful, forgiving and loving.

These characteristics add flavor to life, creating more joy and peace in relationships.  It is God’s will for us to be the salt.  He blesses the peacemakers and the pure of heart.  If salt loses its taste, it is worth nothing (see Matthew 5:8,9,13), just like us without love, we are nothing (see I Corinthians 13:2).  

When the devil steps in to spoil our thoughts, making them distasteful, focus on the good of Jesus.  We can keep letting Jesus flavor our thoughts.  Even when things go sour or get bitter, the addition of love will make it better.  Each day we are judged by the flavor and content of our character.  We “must not be guilty of wrongful deeds.  Let us not seek to satisfy our desires by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline.”¹  Strive to be the salt; strive to be sweet.  When we open our hearts, we can accept the help of Jesus to love our enemies.

Let us sprinkle salt and sweetness into the lives of others.  With loving actions applied generously, unconditionally and with a pure heart, more people will experience the sweet life.  O, taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” (Psalm 34:8)  Accepting God’s love and blessing others by passing love along—there is no other flavor that can ever top that.

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[1]From Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” Speech, August 28, 1963.