How Can We Be Made Salty Again? | Questions Jesus Asked | Week 2
Pastor Brett Long

Matthew 5:13-16 ESV“We lose track of our impact when we take our eyes off God.”

1. Our purpose is so much greater than we know.
   • Galatians 5:18 ESV
2. We go from invaluable to unvaluable when isolated or contaminated.
3. Our saltiness can only be restored by having our eyes set on God.

1. What does brokenness look like in your culture? What does beauty look like in yoru culture? Think about your family, work, hobbies, etc.
2. Read Colossians 4:5-6. Paul is referring to our words being like salt seasoning, sprinkled and covered with grace. How do our words impact our culture and environment?
3. How can you live as a “Salty Saint” this week? Write a prayer of confession of the ways you have not been salt of the earth. Talk to God about how you want to be “made salty again”.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”
Matthew 5:13 NASB

“Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.”
Colossians 4:5-6 NASB

This week, explore the spiritual practice of service. Richard Foster wrote, “Of all the spir­i­tu­al dis­ci­plines, ser­vice is the most con­ducive to the growth of the grace of humil­i­ty with­in us.” Serving other leads us to salty humility.

As we’re looking and praying to “be made salty again” this week, be aware of moments you can sprinkle salt into your environment. Serving someone else is a great place to start. Look for people who need care, someone that needs a listening ear, a friend that would be blessed by a meal being delivered. You can read more about the spiritual practice of service here.

I discovered the phrase “Salty Saints” this week and really love it. What a beautiful phrase to describe what we are – or what we ought to be! As we’re thinking about how to stay salty or how to be made salty again, I think we need to be ready to take some risks and be alert to how we lose our saltiness.

Consider what is taking your saltiness. What is numbing your spiritual passion? You take on the values and traits of the people you’re around. Is there a group or friends or a specific friend that is numbing your spiritual passion? Is there a habit or routine you’ve gotten into that is diluting your saltiness.

Stay around other salty saints! Keep in community. Get around some young people – let their passion and zeal rub off on you. There is something beautiful about getting around someone who is new to faith and experiencing God’s Word for the first time. You get salty when you’re around other salty saints. Get in a better environment to be made salty again.

Stay salty,
Lydia Long