Since my last post, I have had several conversations about salt during Bible studies and other settings. Here are some more interesting thoughts on salt and how it might be used as a metaphor for the Christian faith:
One of the members of our Wednesday Morning Bible study, as we were discussing salt, mentioned that her mother dyes fabrics professionally, and that she had "pallet after pallet of salt in her basement." The salt is used to draw the dye into the fabric.
Another member remarked, "Oh yeah...when you use Ritz dye, the instructions call for using salt.
In another study, someone remembered that it was commonplace to soak bright colors in salt, to permanently seal the dye into the fabric before washing.
So salt as a something that gives permanence is a wonderful image of the permanence of God's love for us in our lives...it can never be washed out or taken out of the fabric of our lives.
Another use of salt was as money: the word "salary" itself is taken from the practice of paying Roman soldiers in salt. So salt as something of great value is an image of how God regards us as extremely valuable because of the grace that is in us through the priceless gift of God's grace through Jesus Christ.
Salt is used on icy roads to clear the paths of travel and keep vehicles from sliding into danger, just like faith in God can keep open the pathways of hope when we meet obstacles and danger.
And finally, salt is used as a key ingredient in the process for making ice cream, one of the greatest culinary gifts ever...certainly a great image for grace...THE greatest gift ever....
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