In biblical times, salt was considered to be a mineral with extremely valuable qualities. Amongst other things, it acted as an effective disinfectant for wounds and was useful to preserve meat. Like today, salt was also used to add flavour to food, improving the quality of the dish. But what really made salt so valuable and extremely costly was the process it took to extract it from the earth, and to purify and refine it for use. Even the slightest bit of dirt amongst the finest grains of salt would render it compromised to the point that it lost its taste and usefulness, rendering it only good enough to be used as an agent to harden the roads and pathways people walked along. When Jesus spoke about us being the salt of the earth, He was speaking of the unique and essential qualities we have for usefulness, as believers, in this world. Our moral conduct and ability to live in peace and walk in love has a way of disinfecting toxic situations or conversations – quickly defusing them before they produce harm. In Romans 14:17, Paul explains that the kingdom of God, we belong to, is a life filled with righteousness, peace and the joy of the Holy Ghost! When we think, speak, and act being dominated by our reborn spirit-man, we bring the flavour of heaven into this world. God’s righteousness, peace and joy flowing out of a believer have far more power than any opposing spirit or situation we will ever encounter! We become God’s ambassadors, giving people a taste of what His kingdom is like. However, when we allow compromise to enter our lives it contaminates the purity of the work of the Gospel in us. Giving place to the devil compromises our spiritual integrity either through entertaining incorrect thoughts that are not based on God’s truth; or speaking words that are not seasoned with love or faith; or doing things that don’t resemble God’s character or don’t flow out of our obedience to His Word. This is how we lose our relevance and usefulness for His kingdom, positioning ourselves where the issues of life and the devil are able to pull us down and walk all over us. Remain diligent in your walk with the Lord, yielding to His Spirit in you so that your saltiness will remain pure and vital until He comes again!