Add a Little Salt - Day 272 Month 9-28 Week 37-6
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1%20Chronicles%204%3A24-5%3A26%2C%20Ecclesiastes%2012%2C%20Daniel%208%3A9-27%2C%20Colossians%204&version=NASB1995
Solomon finishes his speaking with the statement “Vanity of vanities, all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 12:8). “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden whether it is good or evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:13,14).
When I am in one of my more introspective moods I sometimes wonder what is the point of all our labours of life. We start working after we have finished our schooling, whether early in life or after higher education. I worked in full time work for 44 years or 385,440 hours, so if my calculation is correct, I worked for somewhere around 90,000 hours to make money to live and then in those 44 years I slept for about 125,000 hours and the remainder of my time was about 170,000 hours. So I had approximately one half of the hours of my life for my own use. Much of that time was wasted watching tv and looking at my smart phone. So what is the point of it all?
That’s when I hear Cher’s character in the movie Moonstruck sharply yelling at Nicolas Cage’s character to “SNAP OUT OF IT!”
We do have a purpose! Certainly, as a Jesus follower, Jesus tells us we are “the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Our purpose of salt in food is to enhance flavour, preserve freshness, and improve texture. So my interpretation is that we are here to enhance life on this earth and make it the best it can be. We are also given specific instructions to Love God, Love our neighbours as ourselves and make disciples.
Back when I was a child, every Sunday we had our big feast of the week and it was usually early afternoon. When I was big enough my job became chief potato masher. Mom would take the potatoes off the stove and put them where I could mash them. She would splash some milk and butter in and then I’d start mashing. I loved my mashed potatoes real creamy so I’d mash and mash and mash a little more until they were at my preferred consistency. That's when mom would test a small spoonful, give me a contorted face look and say “it needs some salt.” She’d add some salt and then I would mix the salt in with my mashed potatoes and then apparently they tasted right. Salt brought out the flavour of the potatoes though I’d never understand because I loved the potatoes but their purpose on my plate was to create a confined place on my plate to hold my gravy. I made it a mountain with a lake of gravy. Mmm, I can taste the meal now.
When I start looking at the vanity of this life and get into that introspective mode that I referenced earlier, we miss our purpose and our saltiness has disappeared. Just like mom’s contorted facial expression represented something that was bland, we take away from the fulfillment of life for others. Our purpose is to bring life and purpose to others.
So how do we do that? It’s love! Do I need to repeat it? I guess it won’t hurt. Love your neighbour as yourself. That’s how we bring fulfillment to people's lives. Maybe some of those people we love will want to join us. Well then that’s our second purpose. To make disciples!
Have a great day!
Steve
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