my soap journal

Scripture:

Luke 14:34-35 “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 fertilizer.  It is thrown away.”

Observation:

This is another rich chapter in Luke.  Christ heals a man at a dinner party and as they take their seats, he points out their pride in seeking the best seats in the house.  I wonder if this looked more like a game of musical chairs – several people crowding over one seat, or a dozen escalating arguments centered on self-importance.  Absurd either way!  Then Luke tells of Jesus’ teaching about the high cost of being his disciple.  Christ is truly flavorful.  None of his actions are vanilla – they all elicit emotion.  This is what it looks like to be salty.

Application:

In some ways I feel more like a salt shaker than salt itself.  Salt is the message of Christ – of life to some, death to others.  This message will never lose its flavor, and really can be misused more easily than applied correctly.  For me … I’m more aware of, or perhaps more concerned with, the emotion that I know this message will cause.  I sit on the table, concerned about the flavorful message.  Christ says I should be concerned – I should weigh carefully the cost of discipleship, mindful even of my most valuable relationships.  If I’m not able to accept this price – I should turn in my salt.

Prayer:

Lord, give me wisdom, courage, and more love for you than anything else.