ARE YOU WORTH YOUR SALT?
As Thanksgiving approaches, one of the most purchased items is salt. Many Americans love this condiment, as one of its frequent uses is to flavor food, especially a delicious turkey. This practice seasons the meat and keeps it juicy for the special meal celebrated once a year.However, long before the advent of Thanksgiving, salt has been a valuable commodity. In fact, salt has so much value to human beings that in the 19th century, the phrase “worth one’s salt” was created to signify the idea of being deserving of your pay, or a worthy person.
Reflecting on this idea of being worthy, I think of the words that all Christians long to hear from Jesus at the end of their lives, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” These few words signify that our Savior approves of how we have lived and considers us worthy to enter into His kingdom. We read these words in Matthew 25, whereJesus tells the parable of the three servants. Two of them were productive and heard these words of praise from their master, the other buried his talent in the ground and was punished for his lack of diligence.
Yet, can any of us truly ever be worthy, given that we are all sinners who fall short of the glory of God? The short answer is yes, but only through the acceptance of the free gifts of grace and mercy, offered to us by our lovingFather. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." This is confirmed with Acts 2:21 which reads,“And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”
However, we must go beyond simple words and demonstrate faith in action, since we read in Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." So, as we enter into this season of thankfulness, let’s ask ourselves what kind of good works we could be doing.
Perhaps we can extend forgiveness to a distant friend or family member who has wronged us in the past. Maybe we can invite someone less fortunate to join us at our Thanksgiving table, so they can enjoy a feast rather than have a meager meal alone. What if we blessed the homeless with both physical and spiritual provision, giving them food to satisfy their bodily hunger and the Word of God to fill their soul? How about something as simple as bearing another’s burdens, by being with them during times of difficulty to be a listening ear and helping hand?
November, and Thanksgiving in particular, is a time to truly reflect on all the blessings in our lives, rather than complain about the things we don’t have, the sicknesses that ail us, or the status we haven’t achieved. Philippians 4:4-7 tells us, “Rejoice in theLord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace ofGod, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” This holiday season, let us focus on being “worth our salt” - living a life of faith, good works, and thankfulness for all He has done for us.
