Wednesday, June 14, 2017

Salt...


"Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, 
how will you make it salty again? 
Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."
 ~Mark 9:50

This verse was part of my reading today.  
So I looked up how salt was used through the ages.  
Here is a short list that I came up with.

SALT:
Flavoring foods
Preserving foods.
Preserving fish and curing meats.
Pickling olives and vegetables.
Used in sacred anointing oil in Old Testament.
Infants were rubbed down with salt for health before swaddling.
Antidote for tooth decay and tooth ache
For cleansing (salt water)
Marco Polo reported that in Tibet, cakes of salt were pressed with images of the emperor and used as currency. Salt bars were, and reportedly are still used as money in parts of Ethiopia.
During the War of 1812, the American government,  unable to pay their soldiers in coin, paid in salt brine.
Emblem of firm union, concord, and agreement: hence the covenant of peace is called a covenant of salt.
Linked with health, hospitality, durability, and purity.
Considered as wisdom in speech.
..................................................................................................
I've been using salt these past few days, rinsing my mouth to heal a sore.  It stings a little at first, and then it soothes and gives relief.  Often I have used warm salt water to soak injuries and remove infection or to relieve sore throats.  It works beautifully.  Such a simple, common mineral is so useful.  It reminds me of what Jesus said, "Have salt in yourselves."  How can we be used as salt?  We can offer the hope of healing to an injured world though it may sting a little, we can offer relief, we can offer wisdom, we can offer savory taste to life, we can be spent while we are on earth because of Jesus in us.
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. ~ Colossians 4:6
He calls us the salt of the earth. 
What does it mean to you to have salt in yourself?
Are you salty?

8 comments:

  1. What a great post! I think sometimes I can be too bland. Thought provoking, thanks. Oh, and my 92 year old mother in law remembers using salt to clean her teeth as a child. Xxx

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  2. A great post. Very thought provoking. I didn't know these verses in he Bible.
    Salt water gargles to ease sore throats is a remedy my mother used and which we continue to use. I use rock salt to wash fish and the brine of rock salt is what I use for cooking.
    I hope I'm salty, just enough - finding the right balance is required.

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  3. Such a lovely post Jody. I love salt and I am so glad that you wrote about it and reminded us to be salt. To not loose our flavor in the world.
    I hope your sore heals fast. Have a lovely weekend. Its going to be really hot here for awhile, they are saying 111 on Monday, I am hoping they are wrong. The garden will love it though.

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  4. More bitter than salty I should think.... hehehe... this was an interesting post.
    Amalia
    xo

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  5. Great post, sweet Jody!
    I hope I'm salty, too!

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  6. Good thoughts! I love a good Epsom salts bath.

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  7. That's a good word! I'm glad it's so easy for us to just buy salt at the grocery store, because it is awfully useful for so many things!

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