 |
|
"You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men"
Matthew 5:13
Photo of schoolchildren from
Kitwe, Zambia.
Living here in Africa, we are often reminded of salt and its importance in this culture. Workers request a portion of their pay in salt. When one is presented to a chief, it is important to bring a gift of salt. Recently, a widow in our church was given a gift of salt by the congregation. People here eat the bland-tasting manioc root as the principle part of their diet. Salt makes even the humblest meal more enjoyable and tasty.
In affluent western culture, salt has lost its importance as a food taste enhancer, food preservative, and form of monetary exchange. We even avoid salt as a risk to our hearts and blood pressure. Manufacturers add excess salt to most of their products because it is cheap and adds weight to the product. In Wisconsin [my home state], it is thrown about quite liberally all winter long to cut the ice from the roads and our sidewalks.
To really understand the passage from Matthew, one has to have an African veneration of salt. When Jesus says that we Christians must be like salt, He is telling us that we must be of great use and value in society. We must add taste and flavor to everyone we touch. We know that a little salt quickly dissolves in a liquid and its flavor is present in every drop. Its flavor is quickly recognized by anyone who tastes it.
Jesus says we are the "salt of the earth." We are not just
responsible for improving lives of those around us, but are called to spice up the entire world with
the Good New of Jesus Christ and His gift of salvation and love. We are grateful
to all who reach out with your gifts and prayers to help with work in this small part of Africa.
...On Saturday, sitting around a table, we worked on some new Russian hymns. Then Jarrell led the group in studying the Beatitudes from Christ's Sermon on the Mount. On, what a discussion! For people used to being told what to believe and how to think, they finally got the hang of the discussion. They hung on for two and some half hours--we got through only four of the eight beatitudes. What a thrill to see them feel it! Russians, older ones especially, typically don't trust others outside their own family or group of friends. So getting an assorted group to bond in Christian fellowship is an interesting proposition.
In Sunday worship we praised God, read the Bible, sang the new hymns, shared joys and concerns, and compared participants to salt (the sermon topic). Continuing our "kitchen evangelism," we sat around the table after worship and had more generous helpings of discussion and fellowship with our tea and cookies...
We announced we wouldn't be able to come to Vladivostok the
following month, and were concerned that there would be no fellowship. But our pleasure
bubbled up and over when two of the members got their heads together, and declared that they
still wanted to meet and would lead the group themselves if we gave them some ideas. We praise
God that we have achieved basic goals of inspiring that desire and for the possibility of developing
leadership within the local group. We flew home with good thoughts and beatific feelings.
The youth of Florida City Branches Church and Community Ministry recently formed SALT--Student Action Leadership Team. SALT was created to build leadership skills among young adults. Interested students were interviewed prior to selection for the team. The group meets twice monthly to create a youth calendar, which includes planning of a service project and a field trip. A goal of SALT is to one day learn and direct all aspects of youth and outreach ministry.
Members have formed a covenant group to hold each other accountable. Two of SALT's members are teaching children's Sunday School. Classes for girls grade 2-5 are studying "Women in the Bible."Each week the girls sing, pray, and make an art project. A class for boys in the same age group is called "The God Squad." The boys made up a rap song about "putting on the armor of God." SALT is interacting with the local after-school program. These youth who have been led, now come full circle as they lead others... God is at work.
These stories have been condensed by GBGM staff writer Brenda Wilkinson. Photo by John Coleman, GBGM.
URL: http://gbgm-umc.org/news/2001/jan/saltofearthbwbm.stm