“Be Salt, Not Salty” by April Boddie
Be Salt, Not Salty
by April Boddie
One of the most essential ingredients in food is salt. You will use it in practically every recipe that you prepare. Salt brings a flavor to food that no other ingredient has the capability to bring. When the salt shows up, the flavor party can officially begin. The gift and the curse of salt is its strength so it must be used in proper proportions and in complete moderation.
You can always add more so always start out with a pinch because, boy o boy, if you add too much, your dish is ruined. You can never remove an over abundance of salt. The only way to fix such a mistake is to start completely over. This same concept rings true when we are answering the call to be the salt of the world.
Have you become salty? Does your flavor ruin every situation and relationship that you touch? Do you project your false feelings onto others and make them salty too? Are you telling YOUR truth at the expense of some? Putting too much salt on someone who is already salty can lead to over salting and will ruin their seasoning, and, in some fatal cases, their lives. Stop it! What you have gone through was a lesson for YOU to learn from. Your conversation should be on God and how HE picked you up out of the mud and mire. Not on the mud! God doesn’t bring us out of situations to cause our brothers and sisters to stumble. He brings us out to bear witness of his healing love and unfathomable grace! I know that when we are still not healed we have a hard time testifying, but it is then that we find our quiet place to study and pray. Meditate. Wait on God to restore hearts and release words.
Can you can identify with any of the following sentences? If so, perhaps you have become over seasoned with guilt, shame and regret. My friend, you are salty.
I was used for my ______. Why try, they are only gonna _________, they don’t like me.
I wish I would’ve done ________ last year/last week.
They were talking about me when I walked in, in their post, in their message, and I’m will show them when I ________!
All of these statements are only activated with guilt and shame. The only way to fix this is to start over. How? Go to God and confess your hurts and errors. Ask daily that He search your heart and remove all that’s not of Him. Each day if you work at it you will start to see results and things will begin to go from hopeless to hopeful. Bitterness, guilt, and shame can cause a person to become salty.
Colossians 4:6 says,
When you speak a word, speak gracefully (as if seasoned with salt) so you will know how to respond to everyone gracefully. Speak the truth in love so that you don’t leave a bad taste in people’s mouths. Season every conversation with love. If someone hurts, disappoints, or offends, you go to THAT person and have a conversation with them. Invite God in before you start but most of all talk to them not about them. If you love your brother and sister, help them acknowledge the error in their ways so they can be healed and live out their purpose. The world tells us to avoid even the appearance of evil. Can I encourage you to add every conversation to that list? I’m not saying rebuke people but I am saying to find a way to separate and distance yourself from them. It doesn’t matter if you participate in a mud slinging or just sit and observe; either way, you’re gonna get dirty before the session is over. Guard your hearts in Christ alone and your ears.
Father God thank You for the beautiful flavor of your word. May we always have a hunger for it. Lord bless our hearts so that they can heal beautifully and with minimal scars. I pray that we can extend forgiveness whether we feel it’s deserved or not. Thank you for forgiving us. Help us to not be bitter and salty. Help us to forgive and move on whether we are granted closure, an apology or a chance to have a conversation. I pray that we will continue to open ourselves up to be used as a living sacrifice. Forgive us for unsavory deeds, thoughts and conversations. God gives us the strength to keep going, keep loving, and keep praying. Father God, fill us up so that the aroma of Christ fills every situation that we enter.
Father let us be salt & not salty.
May we Love without limits
Written by~
Leave a Reply