I have a dear friend in my life who I have always admired. I had him come speak at my church one time. I was happy when he agreed to do so and was a bit surprised since this individual is very successful and busy. I remember picking him up at the airport and grinning from ear to ear as we talked.

Our time together was amazing. He allowed me to ask him deep questions about his life, his career, mistakes, decisions, and his family. I realized in that moment that even in his 80s he was still very much growing in his walk with Christ. 

Salt is referred to several times in the New Testament. Though it is quite common today, it was considered a valuable commodity in ancient times and was even a form of payment in some cases (this is where we get the phrase, “worth his/her salt”). Salt was certainly used to add flavor, but its most important use was as a preservative—making sure food did not spoil before it could be prepared.

Jesus says we are to be “salt and light” (Matt. 5:13-16): those whose presence in the world prevents spoilage while reflecting the light of God’s love to all.

I remember the first time I jumped out of an airplane. Weeks of training in the US Army had led to that moment; I endured the physical difficulties of training and had put up with the elements just to have this opportunity! We trained, we rehearsed, we practiced, for one reason alone…to jump out of a perfectly good airplane. As the day approached, I was excited and ready to portray how prepared I was. I put on my gear, donned my parachute, and walked out to the plane. “Stand up, hook up, shuffle to the door, jump right out, and count to four!” had been our cadence.