Saltier than a LAY’S® Potato Chip
“Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” - Matthew 5:13 (KJV)
“Betcha can’t eat just one” was the 1963 advertising campaign slogan (by Young & Rubicam) for LAY’S® Potato Chips. This catchy slogan is still cemented in the minds and taste buds of countless consumers today!
LAY’S® original chips are simple: just basic salted potato chips. Other flavors first appeared in 1958 with the introduction of LAY’S® barbecue-flavored potato chip and then the sour cream and onion-flavored potato chip in the late 1970’s. Even though many new flavors have since entered the chip kingdom: Cheddar & Sour Cream, Hidden Valley Ranch, Salt & Pepper, Flamin' Hot, Limón; the original salted chips are still the prevailing preference of the populace as indicated by 79% of consumers.
As a matter of fact, LAY’S® original flavor has been and continues to be my wife Gloria’s number one choice for chips – ever since she was a little girl!! And you know what, like millions of others have discovered “You can't eat just one!”
As you eat the original LAY’S® chip, the first thing that your tongue will touch and taste is salt. According to the producer of the chip, potato chips taste saltier than some other foods because the salt is sprinkled on the surface of the chip, rather than being baked inside. As a result, salt is one of the first tastes your tongue detects. And the flavor of saltmakes the chip fantastic for millions of chip fans!
Now as we turn our attention to our text it is important to note that our Lord identifies us as the salt of the earth!! There are a number of uses and functions for salt. One function of salt is to add flavor or interest. This use provides context as we consider how Scripture uses salt as an analogy for various aspects of the Christian’s life. For example, Scripture challenges us to flavor our conversation with salt.
“Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” - Colossians 4:6 (KJV)
Are you saltier than a LAY’S® potato chip when you are in a chippy conversation with a family member, friend and/or acquaintance? It is given that if you are in any type of relationship you will not be exempted from difficult and uncomfortable conversations. Therefore, we must purpose to sprinkle some spiritual salt with our words in the form of grace and truth. In this manner, the recipient of our words will walk away with a good taste in his or her mouth.
In addition to providing flavor, salt is also used as a preservative. Just recently it was brought to my attention that salt is used as a purifier and has replaced the chemical chlorine in many backyard swimming pools.
You see salt preserves from corruption. In the centuries before Kenmore®, GE®, LG and Whirlpool® refrigerators, salt was the primary method of choice for preventing bacteria from poisoning food. Salt was so vital for this purpose that many wars and conflicts were fought over salt. Entire economies were based on salt as it was considered so valuable that it was used as currency. This is how the phrase “worth their salt” was coined as a way to denote a person’s value. Salt could literally make the difference between life and death especially in a time when fresh food was unavailable.
Therefore, just as salt prevents or kills bacteria in food, the Kingdom servant prevents or confronts corruption in the world. Notice that it is the earth that needs the salt, not the Kingdom of Heaven. If a servant of Christ serves no purpose on earth, he might as well go straight to heaven upon conversion. By telling us to be the “salt of the earth” the Lord calls us to be flavorful in our conversations and cancel out corruption and prevent moral decay in their world. Challenge: Ask yourself, how salty are you?
Not a Sermon But a Thought,
PBKSR