Spot the difference

How good are you at noticing when things are changed?

We can notice when the road markings are different, or the car park takes our money in a new way, but some things we easily miss.

Many a husband has been in trouble for failing to notice a different hairstyle.

I reckon most of us can tell if the food has either to much or too little salt in it.

Jesus told his followers that they should be different from the rest of the community.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavour? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.' (Matthew 5.13)

We know that salt adds flavour to food, and is used as a preservative, but what was in Jesus' mind with this illustration? This verse follows the challenging verses, known as the Beatitudes, in which Jesus sets out the attitudes and character of the life of those in his Kingdom. ' God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth. ⁶ God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
⁷ God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.' (Matthew 5.5-7)

Jesus is setting out the values that God's future Kingdom will recognise as the right way to live. In eternity, people will not be greedy or deceitful, they will find their deepest hungers satisfied, and mercy will be over all. 

If the future is going to be like that, Jesus tells us to live that way now. And that difference is so startling, when compared with our present shabby lives, that we will stick out like salt does. The taste of salt is strong and instantly recognisable. Not much is needed to make a huge difference. So that is how Jesus expects is to live.

Quite a challenge - but what a destiny!

Best wishes,

Richard