January 2, 2026
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.” ~ Matthew 5:13 NLT
A sampling of salts found in my kitchen cupboard
I grew up in a salt-loving family. It was normal to salt our food before tasting it. I learned to put salt on watermelon. My sisters would cut lemons in half and pour salt on the top before sucking on their sour saltiness. We put salt on cottage cheese, and I was surprised when a neighbor mentioned it already had salt. We had two saltshakers on the table to make passing them easier. On our first Christmas as a married couple, Rod presented my side of the family with a case of salt as a gag gift, suggesting it would last for years. Everyone was delighted, and everyone took a few of the boxes home. The salt was gone long before the year was up. It’s only in the last ten years that I began to taper back my use of salt. I discovered that some things are too salty for my tastes. It is also when I started to savor the variety, the textures, and the flavors of each. A little bit can go a long way.
Author Margaret Feinburg wrote something that reminded me of salt’s power. According to the Talmud, “If someone is suffering and in need, and you can take away 1/60th of their pain, then that is goodness, and the call to help is from God. This is a powerful expression of our being the salt – the preservers, the favorers, the fertilizers – of the earth.”
It is easy to be overwhelmed by the needs around us and the issues our nation and world face. When overwhelmed, it is easy to give up, reasoning that our little bit won’t make a difference. The particular saltiness of our lives, flavored by our settings and experiences, makes a difference. The lesson of 1/60th encourages me to keep trying. Our acts of mercy, kindness, love, and justice are the seasonings our world needs.
Be the salt of the earth this year! Anne
Wayfinding 