Why a blog with this title?
I am a Christian.
Salt appears in the teaching of Jesus several times over. The properties of salt illustrate the presence of the Christian church in this world. The followers of Christ are to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). In the ancient world, salt was used as a preservative to slow the process of decay. It was also a purifying agent. And of course it was a seasoning to flavor food.
Jesus sees salt as a good picture of the effect of His people on the earth. We come into close contact with people like salt gets into close contact with the food it flavors. It’s all about personal influence. We love God’s truth. We love people. By God’s grace, we influence lives and societies for the Kingdom of the Messiah.
The Gospels record three occasions when Jesus encouraged His people to be salty (Matthew 5:13-16, Mark 9:49-50, and Luke 14:34-35). Each time, he warned about the salt losing it’s taste. “Then what good is it?” He asked. He wants us to remain salty. That is, he wants us to remain distinct with His character. He wants us to preserve His standard of righteousness without losing heart. He wants us to present His word without diluting its content. He wants us to provide the flavor of His kindness, character and love in an ongoing way. So we hear His call through His apostle: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Colossians 4:6
I am a Saltzmann.
As you can see, salt is in my name. That means that somewhere in the history of my family, we were in the salt business. Maybe we owned and operated some of the salt mines of Germany. Interestingly, the first generations of Saltzmanns in America ran a beer brewery in western Pennsylvania. The Saltzmann Bros. Beer Brewery was in operation from 1881 into the early 1920’s. A crate with my last name, full of empty antique beer bottles also branded with my last name, sits in my office today.
So, we started in the salt business. Then we went to the brewery. Then, as my dad likes to say, “We went from the brewery to the pulpit.” I think being in the pulpit brings us back to the salt business. Again, I want to help Christians remain salty and distinct, carrying the flavor of their Messiah everywhere they go.
I am a surfer.
I think this is worth mentioning too. I love the ocean. Most of the world’s salt is currently contained in the great seas covering the earth. I love saltwater. I love immersing myself in the Pacific Ocean and riding waves. I call it saltwater therapy. Sometimes I am happy to go surfing in the morning and leave the salty residue through the remainder of the day.
These things considered…
I emphatically agree that salt is good. So I am calling this blog, “Salt is good.” That’s exactly what Jesus said as recorded in Mark 9:50 and Luke 14:34. Salt is good.
Salt is valuable. It was such a valuable commodity that in biblical times Roman soldiers were paid with portions of salt. This is where the language of “salary” has it’s origin. The soldier’s salary was cut if “he was not worth his salt.”
Salt is essential. Like water, our bodies cannot live without it. It’s in our blood and it’s in our tears. We need salt in us and this world needs salty Christians in it. We are the salt of the earth.
This blog will share posts to encourage the healthy Christian life. Above all, this is spiritual health that comes from biblical reflection and obedience. This also involves relational and emotional health. There is a certainly an interest in physical health as well, being good stewards of the bodies we’ve been given. I’ll share my thoughts in all these spheres.
I am person following Christ. I desire to remain salty myself and help others do the same.
Thanks for reading this blog! I hope you’ll agree that salt is good!
Salt Is Good 