Salt of the earth.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been particularly fond of this phrase and aspired to be a man fitting of the description. My earliest memories of this character-descriptive reveal my mom using it with a strong admiration for the person on the receiving end of the compliment. As a young boy, I adopted a similar respect and appreciation for these words. Saying someone was “salt of the earth” was not a compliment I tossed around casually, it was reserved only for those rare individuals whose character I deemed worthy. It was, in my mind, a position of honor and admiration for the kind of man I aspired to be someday. “He’s salt of the earth.”, I would say with a look and tone of ultimate approval.
So, what did my calling someone “salt of the earth” say about them? In my youth, it represented that man that was untainted by modern society and was still solidly anchored to what I innately knew were fundamental tenets of manhood. They were good, honest, hard-working, men with an independent spirit that was so attractive I could recognize it immediately, even at a young age. I could sense that something about them had been preserved and not lost to “progress”. The best example I might give the reader with which they may be familiar, is to call to mind a man akin to the famous mountain man character Jeremiah Johnson. In this classic movie, Jeremiah Johnson ventures into the Rocky Mountains after fighting in the Mexican-American War to become a trapper and pursue a life of peace and solitude. After struggling to survive the harsh realities of mountain living, formerly ill-equipped Jeremiah becomes a proficient hunter and trapper with the help of his eccentric friend Bear Claw, an experienced mountain man that takes him under his wing. Without Bear Claw’s intervention and teaching, Jeremiah surely would have perished. Once Jeremiah learns the skills necessary to fend for himself, he sets out on his own. Along his journey to find solitude through a self-sustaining life, he finds himself paying it forward helping widows, orphans, woebegone mountain men, army commanders, and stranded settlers. Contrary to his plans, he even becomes the head of a family, loving and caring for his Native American wife Swan and adopted orphan son Caleb. Jeremiah initially set out to be able to “do for self” but quickly realized that his eventual independence was only possible through dependence on another, dependence on a savior you might say. Ultimately that independence along with his skills, strength, and bravery allowed him to care for and “do for others”. Growing up, this was my idea of what it meant to be salt of the earth. To be the salt of the earth was to be useful, to be able to do and provide for yourself so that you could do and provide for others. Perhaps this is partly why I have become such a passionate bowhunter. It is an activity that has been preserved for the entirety of human history and one that is timelessly useful. Hunting puts food on the table. Hunters are providers and we are able to independently “provide for self” so we can provide for others.
From my own childhood, I will share about a man that iconified what it meant to me back then to be the salt of the earth. Russ Seitner was a hard working farmer and a man that could fix anything. His hands were thickened from years of farm work and perpetually stained with dirt and grease. Those hands were proof of the life he led, one of hard work, usefulness, and fixing what once was broken. Russ was our Bear Claw. He was the man we called when something needed fixing on JR Farm and we didn’t know what to do. Russ always knew what to do, and I always knew when Russ showed up, something was about to be set right.
Despite being a rough and rugged farmer, Russ was also perfectly gentle, kind and encouraging to me as a young boy. With gravel in his voice, he would draw out his familiar greeting, “Heyyyyy Jakey.” Something as simple as this let me know that he noticed me, and I was important to him. I loved to watch him work as he brought things back to life, back into order, back into being useful once more. Anyone that knew Russ would agree that he was not a small man, but to me, he was larger than life.
As a late teen, a few years after JR Farm was sold, I felt drawn to go and visit Russ at his home. This was something I had never done before, and something largely out of character for me to do. Perhaps I had just missed seeing him the last few years, or perhaps now that I was not a young boy I wanted to talk to Russ “man to man” as I prepared to set out into the world. While I can’t remember exactly what we talked about that day, I’ll never forget spending that time with Russ and the way he made me feel. Somehow, I felt that some kind of intangible transfer had taken place. I left Russ’ house that day feeling more like a man (I use that term loosely at that point in my life). Masculinity bestows masculinity, and this was one of the moments in my life when I had been on the receiving end of that transfer. I walked out of Russ’ house that day standing a bit taller with my shoulders back, knowing one of my boyhood heroes approved of me. I felt more prepared to strike out into the world. Russ was the “salt of the earth”, and over the years he had seasoned me. He had brought out in me more of who I truly was.
Fast forward about 20 years and my fondness for the phrase has deepened as my understanding of its original meaning has increased. This comes as no surprise really when I consider the infinite depths of its source. Jesus is the one who first spoke these enigmatic words. A couple of weeks ago after finishing my “daily crucifixion” (also known as my morning workout) I sat down and opened my Bible to Mathew and read the beatitudes followed by Jesus’ teaching about salt and light. “You are the salt of the earth” He says, and it was as if I had just read these words for the first time. As is often the case when the Father has something He really wants you to grasp, the words leaped off the page and took root deep in my soul.
Mathew 5: 13-16
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Wow. Salt of the earth. After reading the words that morning I thought of how much I have always loved them but I couldn’t help but wonder, why salt? At first glance, salt of the earth seems like an odd analogy for Jesus to use to describe His followers. However, upon further inspection we can uncover what He means. Most obviously He seems to be referring to the use of salt as a seasoning since He refers to salt as having a taste (or a disappointing lack thereof). He is saying we are the seasoning of the earth. Interesting. What does it mean to be the seasoning of the earth? It is here I feel it would be helpful to share an excerpt from C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity. I would note that while Mr. Lewis is not speaking about Jesus’ salt of the earth analogy directly, I believe he reveals what Jesus expects of us by describing how He acts as the salt and seasoning of our souls.
“Or again, suppose a person who knew nothing about salt. You give him a pinch to taste and he experiences a particular strong, sharp taste. You then tell him that in your country people use salt in all their cookery. Might he not reply ‘In that case I suppose all your dishes taste exactly the same: because the taste of that stuff you have just given me is so strong that it will kill the taste of everything else.’ But you and I know that the real effect of salt is exactly the opposite. So far from killing the taste of the egg and the tripe and the cabbage, it actually brings it out. They do not show their real taste till you have added the salt. (Of course, as I warned you, this is not really a very good illustration, because you can, after all, kill the other tastes by putting in too much salt, whereas you cannot kill the taste of a human personality by putting in too much Christ. I am doing the best I can.)
It is something like that with Christ and us. The more we get what we now call ‘ourselves’ out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become. There is so much of Him that millions and millions of ‘little Christs’, all different, will still be too few to express Him fully.” – C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (1952; Harper Collins: 2001) 223-225.
As Mr. Lewis eloquently points out, seasoning with salt in the right amount can bring out the true flavor of a dish, making it more of itself, not less. Salt is used to make foods better and to express their “real taste”. So it should be with us. As the salt of the earth we are to help Jesus bring out the best in those around us by allowing Him to bring out the best (Himself) in us. We are to be seasoned by the Master Chef first if we are to help season the earth. When we allow Him to season us by getting “‘ourselves’ out of the way and letting Him take us over” we become the salt of the earth. We are all unique expressions of His infinite personality and expressing Him to each other brings out our “real taste”, our true flavors, our true selves, as He created us to be.
Jesus also uses some strong language in regards to salt that has “lost its taste”. He says that it is no longer useful and it might as well be discarded and trampled under people’s feet. Jesus is pretty clear here that He wants and expects us to be useful for the Kingdom. I take this to mean that we are to live a life of bold flavor letting our “light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (verse 16) The essence of what Jesus is saying is that a Christian who is unwilling to live their faith in the open for all to see is like salt that has lost its flavor. It is of no use and will surely be trampled under society’s feet. To be clear, He is not talking about prideful religious displays to glorify one’s self, He is talking about living in a way that humbly points others towards the glory of the true source of salt and light “your Father who is in heaven.”
Another reason Jesus compares His followers to salt may be that another practical use of salt is as a preservative to prevent meat from spoiling. As a hunter, I have a keen interest in preserving the meat from an animal I’ve harvested. In today’s world this is accomplished mainly through refrigeration, however, salt was and still is a viable antidote to decay and spoilage. This would have been a common practice in Jesus’ day. Salt draws the moisture out of the meat, preventing bacteria from being able to grow and cause the meat to spoil and rot. Could it be that Jesus is saying that we are called to help prevent one another from spoiling and rotting morally and spiritually? I believe so. Without intervention it is human nature and therefore the tendency of culture and society to “go bad” and fall into moral decay. Evil is always at the door and the war against darkness is real and must be fought. Evil and darkness cause the decay and breakdown of the moral muscle fibers of society. As the salt of the earth, we are called to be the antidote. We are called to wage war against the darkness, shine our light, and preserve that which is good and of the Light.
Oh how I desire to be a man fit to be called the salt of the earth by my Father in heaven. To be the salt is to be useful to His Kingdom and a blessing to others. To be the salt is to be the seasoning of the earth, bringing out Christ, the best and “real taste” in those around me. To be the salt is to be the antidote to evil and darkness in our world. I am deeply thankful for all of those in my life that have lived out Jesus’ calling to be the salt of the earth. They are those that have intervened and shown me the righteous path. Most of all, I am thankful for Jesus, the ultimate Bear Claw, the Master Chef, that rough and rugged yet gentle Carpenter who is, and always will be, the salt of my soul and the One that if I allow, brings out my true flavor.
Judy says
Jake, you are Salt!! Never forget, never doubt!! This is amazing ❤️
Jon Albrecht says
Jake very powerful! I always looked at your entire family as Salt of the Earth! So much goodness, kindness, and love the Bowman family has always shown! Great read and God Bless You!
Kim Switzer says
Oh my goodness…this is wonderful. You have a true gift dear friend…I was transfixed…you are just salty enough for me to want more …thank you.
Dan Sertell says
Jake, Thanks for the post. Very well written and right to the point. May God continue to bless you as you share Jesus in “Hunt for Him”
YBIC “Your Brother in Christ”
Dan S.
Debbie Lakins says
Beautifully written. Lots of very good reminders in this. Russ was the salt of the earth. You honored him