Season of Salt

  “Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? Flavorless salt is good neither for the soil nor for the manure pile. It is thrown away.” Luke 14:34-35

  I had an epiphany this morning, finally understanding the significance of this parable.

  Salt is very good at killing green things. Ask anyone from Ontario who, come spring, has strips of brown, shriveled grass beside the path to the house. All because salt is often used to get rid of icy, treacherous footing.

  The only thing that seems to survive this annual abuse is dandelions. Maybe that’s because their roots run deep, well below the contaminated soil. New soil needs to be put down and new grass seeded in order to renew the lawn unless you like dandelions. (I know the local bunny does.)

  In this day and age of chemical fertilizers and intensive agriculture, the manure pile has been mostly delegated to myth. Yet, it was at one time crucial to successful farming. Crops thrived on ground spread with composted manure. In fields planted season after season, it was vital to add this natural fertilizer.

  Smile. I guess it’s still around because we urbanites can buy it by the bag at the local plant nursery.

  Salt, tasteless or not, is not a good addition to the manure pile. It would cancel out the benefits of adding natural nutrients to the garden.

 

  What an odd topic to be writing about…but I think I understand what Jesus is alluding to: flavorless faith. Nothing will grow in it. Nothing will grow from it. Nothing will grow around it.

  But, even though Jesus asks the question, “How do you make it salty again?” In Christ, this is possible.

  It’s called repentance.

  I used to squirm with discomfort every time I heard the word, repentance. That was before I fully understood what it meant. For Christians, it means to turn away from anything that keeps us apart from God. No guilt. No shame. Just a fresh start.

  “There is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” Luke 15:7

  And I think that says it all. AMEN!

  PS: On a personal note, the contractor arrived this morning to begin setting things up. Yay!

  I had my echo cardiogram yesterday and am adorned with a Holter (not Holtz) monitor to keep an eye on my heart over the next couple of days. I have a conference with a cardiologist in a couple of weeks. So pleased everything happened so quickly. Thank you for your prayers!