God-Flavors. Yeah -- and God-Colors, too!

Once again... Thank you for commenting on Tuesday's Toss-up. I must admit... I SELFISHLY love reading all of your writings! I don't know why people don't toss out subjects more often and let others comment on them! It's very fun to see how God can take one quote and translate it in each of our hearts! So many different opinions, yet so much alike!

Interestingly enough... just like our opinions, there are many kinds of salt, too! And they come in different varieties and colors ... There is plain ol' table salt, Kosher salt, sea salt, canning salt, pickling salt, rock salt, popcorn salt, and gourmet salt. Salt can be transparent, white, yellow, orange, red, blue, green, black, and various colors of gray.

Salt seasons our food, enhances flavors, aids in baking, and salt even freezes ice cream as well as dissolves ice! But when all is said and done... salt is salt.

So, I'm sure you're wondering where I'm going with this little science lesson, right? Well ... first... I just have to toss out this scripture... after all... it's what it's all about, but check it out in the Message translation... YOWZA! It really brings it home!!!

"Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage." Matt. 5:13 (The Message)

Oh.My.Goodness!!! Okay, let me just sit down and try to catch my breath after reading this passage in this translation!

Yes. I will readily admit that it is so easy for me to settle back in the comfort of my salvation. You know what I mean... keep it all to myself. Not share with others. Because basically I'm so afraid of what people will say, how they will react, and how they will receive the message! Yeah... I'm a people pleaser, and witnessing isn't always pleasing to people! (Heather - I'm a big witnessing chicken too!)

But when you read this passage in the translation above... MAN! It sure does shed a whole new meaning on things! Pretty plain and simple! And really, how exciting is that? I am here to be the salt-seasoning that brings out all the GOD-FLAVORS of this earth!!! I LOVE THAT! God-Flavors.

Not much of anything else brings out flavor like salt does... it is different from all other seasonings. And really, we must be different too, in everything we do... We can share the Word in so many different ways... through our lives, our words, our activities, our families, our attitudes toward other people (oh, that hits close to home!), and in every other aspect of our lives. But also as many of you mentioned... through "touch" (aggiejen) ... "Skin on skin, hand in hand time with others" (Shalee), and we as Christians can "give them a little jig in their step and a full feeling in their belly" (Flip Flop).

Oh, and Susanne mentioned salt being a preservative... Yeah. Salt protects meat from spoiling... and "corruption" -- Wow! That's what Melody Greene hit on in her article! She was referring to the Media, but she said... "Salt is also a preservative. Before refrigeration existed, salt was rubbed into meat to keep it from spoiling - or being corrupted from bacteria. Our Christian influence works in a similar way. It restrains the corruption of the world, which if left unchecked, multiplies as quickly as bacteria on a hunk of meat."

It made me wonder if my Christian influence is helping to restrain the corruption of the world? Yikes!

Okay ... one last thing... let's look at the rest of the scripture that I referred to earlier.

"Here's another way to put it: You're here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We're going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don't think I'm going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I'm putting you on a light stand. Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand--shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven." Matt. 5:14-16 (The Message)

Oh, am I the only one that is getting EXCITED about this? Seriously! I can hardly contain myself. GOD IS NOT A SECRET TO BE KEPT! Breath. Breath. Breath. Okay -- one more time -- HE'S NOT A SECRET, y'all!

So, why is it so difficult to go public? It's not like I'm standing here bare nekkid (Peach!) and it's not like I have green skin! I have no strange appendages hanging from my side, and I have no disgusting boils on my face. Yeah... all those are things that would cause people to ... well, REACT badly towards me.

Okay -- let me re-read that last part ... "Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven."

HEY! I can do ALL of that! I do it here on my blog, don't I? And... I'm not scared of you! So... if I just flip it... and do it at home ... at work ... all over the place ... well, THAT WOULD MAKE ME SALT! Did you see what Addie wrote in the comments? She said, "You know how salt get's all hard in the shaker when the shaker hasn't been used in awhile. Hmm. I think we're the same way."

I don't know about you, but I don't want to get all hard and crusty!!!

And, honestly ... the thought of loosing my saltiness, becoming useless, and ending up in God's trash can is just more than I can digest right now!

Oh, YEAH! I'm gonna shine!!!! Shine, shine, shine!!!! I'm going to make it a goal to go OUT OF MY WAY to be salty. 'Cause, honey... I want to be a part of bringing out all those God-flavors and God-colors on this earth!

Will you be salty and shiney with me, too?

(y'all must think I'm strung out on crack!)