Today I was up before the dawn and caught this sunrise on the Dead Sea. I always feel so inspired at the break of day! Ann of  “Ann of Green Gables” said that “… each new day has no mistakes in it.” I like that, but I prefer that “God’s mercies are new to me each morning. Oh, how I need his grace toward my life.

We have been enjoying the therapeutic benefits of the mineral salt water of the sea. And I have been thinking a lot about salt, especially since Jesus called his disciples “the salt of the earth.” Of course, most medicinal attributes are well know. Salt cleanses, preserves, promotes healing, draws out toxins, and makes things tastier in general.

But one thought I have never had until this morning is that salt stings wounds. The second you walk into the salty mineral baths every open wound on your body smarts. And there are sores that you know about and are prepared to hurt, and there are little open places that you do not even know about that smart too! 

There is good application in this thought to the lives of believers. Since we are salt in the lives of the non-believing, healing, preserving, etc., we also cause some of the old and new wounds that they carry to hurt when they come in contact with us. Maybe that is why some recoil from us or why some ask for more help. Perhaps the lost realize there is something “healing” about the salt of our lives even if the initial contact hurts a little.

This works for believers too. Sometimes I am around a person that is just saltier than I am… meaning he/she is more mature or has paid a dearer price to serve Jesus than I have. Their saltiness rubs off on me and stings a bit. And I have a choice to let the saline of their spiritual lives heal my deficiencies or become offended by the sting.

Salt–a wonderful thing!

Back to the salt mines…