Christians are the Salt of the Earth
Bible Text: Matthew 5:13 | Preacher: Speaker: Kathy Spruit
Children’s Story
Today we are going to talk about salt. How many of you like salt? Would you ever eat a spoonful of salt? That would be pretty awful, wouldn’t it?
Hold up Table Salt – What sorts of things taste better with salt? Who would like to taste popcorn? How does it taste without salt? It’s ok – but it is missing a little something…. Now, what happens when we add a little salt…how does that taste? Better? Without salt, popcorn doesn’t taste as good, does it?
What else does salt do?
It can keep meat and fish from going bad without refrigeration. That’s why we eat beef jerky.
Hold up Epsom Salts – Salt has healing and cleansing properties. It can be used to clean wounds. It can also soothe sore muscles. Runners sometimes use bath salts to relax after a race.
Hold up Ice-melting Salt – Do you know what happens when you put salt on sidewalks in the winter when there is lots of ice on them? That’s right! It melts! Salt can change ice ot water.
Salt can do ALL these cool things – and more!
In today’s reading, Jesus says that Christians are the salt of the earth. It’s sort of funny to think of ourselves as salt, isn’t it?
In Jesus’ time, salt was very important and valuable. In fact, it was so valuable, that people were sometimes paid with salt instead of coins! Can you imagine your mom or dad being paid with a bag of salt? That’s where the work “Salary” comes from.
So what do you think Jesus meant when he said that Christians are the salt of the earth? Here’s one way to think about it:
Just like salt makes things taste better, we can make the world a better place by looking after our neighbor and sharing God’s love.
Just like salt saves food from spoiling and cleans things up, we can help clean up and care for God’s earth.
Just like salt changes ice to water, we can change people’s lives through our actions.
And just as salt soothes and heals, we can listen to people who are hurting and say things to make them feel better.
Today is Presbyterians Sharing Sunday. Some of the money we put in the offering plate supports Presbyterians Sharing. With this money, we work together with congregations across Canada to support all kinds of people – in Canada and around the world. Together we are salting the world: sparking love for God and love for one another.
A little bit of salt – on food, in water, on roadways – can make a big difference. And we can make a big difference too – in our schools, in our neighbourhoods, in our country, and even in the world!
You are the salt of the earth. You can make a difference!