Salt is Essential to Life

By Klaus Döring

“You are like salt for the whole human race” (Matthew 5:13).

My late grandmother (born in 1899!) taught me many things about daily life. I really admired her and didn’t mind traveling hundreds of miles to her house in the former East Germany—just to spend a few hours there. The wall and border that separated Germany into two aggravated such journeys many times. Still in my mind are innumerable thoughts on how to convert Bible sayings into reality.

It flavors food and is used as a binder and stabilizer. It is also a food preservative, as bacteria can’t thrive in the presence of a high amount of salt. The human body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.

Salt of the earth: People during various activities and occupations. “Black” and “white” meet each other, shake hands, smile… An old woman selling vegetables in the market. She looks tired, but her features still show hope and peace… Young people walking through a shopping mall—laughing, joking, being happy… Fishermen at the shore doing their work sorting nets…

Salt on earth: Many things can be like that. Not only during Mass service in the church. Not only by preaching. Also touching the hands of my distressed friend, listening to my lonely neighbor, remembering someone and writing him or her a letter or an email. I join others by helping, working, laughing, playing, singing. I listen to love’s melody.

Salt of the earth: Christian life doesn’t always mean possessions or property. Christian life is doing something. It’s collecting one’s thoughts. It’s giving and receiving. It’s a hug or a smile or a comforting talk. Christian life means having Christian-acting people in my surroundings.

Salt on earth: Of course, as we all know, too much salt is also dangerous to our health. But if we plan to live without any salt, we might also fail to survive. Do you know that wars have been waged and nations extinguished because of salt? Salt is more than a simple stabilizer.

Before the refrigerator was invented, salt was a miracle of daily life. Salt preserved foodstuffs well. So, let’s think about it: If we are part of earth’s salt, who are we? Do we bring rottenness, or do we preserve and keep our surroundings well?

We should be salt on earth—as in cleaning, helping and healing—but not salt that brings caustic, corroding and mordant poison into others’ lives.

Salt on earth without being dumb, mute, silent, stale or incompetent!

+++

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com
Follow me: Facebook | LinkedIn
Visit:
www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com
www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com