Rediscovering Identity: Embracing Your Saltiness

Have you ever noticed someone walking down the street, waving their hands as if arguing with someone, but walking alone? Hopefully, you are, like the majority of people, managing to keep internal dialogues undisclosed. These dialogues serve as a mental commentary for self-reflection, planning, problem-solving, or emotional processing. However, during these conversations, individuals sometimes say harsh things to themselves, gradually adopting negative identities. If you have been calling yourself or others a fool, an idiot, or a moron when angry, today's blog post is meant for you. 

The things we say to ourselves or others matter because repeated lies can eventually be internalized and believed. Frequently, the labels we assign to ourselves and others become a crucial aspect of how individuals perceive themselves and their surroundings. Unknowingly, these labels begin to shape their sense of identity as well. It can sometimes take years to shed these labels and view ourselves in a true light. 

Today you are invited to rediscover your identity and to embrace your saltiness!

We are exploring together how Jesus describes our identity. He reveals to us the Creator's design. In my previous blog post, I discussed our likeness to God in a specific way—being the light of the world. In the same chapter of the Gospel of Matthew (5:13), Jesus states, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

Here, Jesus is showing us another aspect of our likeness to God by describing us as the salt of the earth. What does he mean when he highlights this aspect of our identity as "being the salt of the earth"?

To grasp what this description of salt refers to, we should examine another scripture in Mark 9:49-50, where Jesus mentions, “everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.”

In this context, as Jesus teaches spiritual mystery, he employs the image of fire to illustrate the refining process of creating salt. In ancient times, salty water was placed in a large pot, either under the sun or over a fire, to initiate the evaporation of water and obtain salt. 

This illustration depicts a refining spiritual journey individuals undergo to achieve purity in their lives and cultivate the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Heat symbolizes the enduring of various pressures that cleanse the superficial aspects of a person's character.

The fruit of the Spirit includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. - Galatians 5:22

Jesus also reveals that the authenticity of words stems from a source, the identity of a person. This identity of salt is shaped through a refining process. The goal of this purification of a person's character is to become someone who preserves peace. Just as salt enhances every meal, your words are meant bring peace to every conversation.

Nonetheless, Jesus cautions that salt can lose its role in adding the flavor of peace. Flattery, arrogant and prideful words, boasting, or gossip all stem from "unpurged waters" within a person's life. Words motivated by them are unloving and lead to negative outcomes, oftentimes causing negative feelings and conflicts.

Reflecting on your true identity is important!

Because God loves you, He created you in His likeness of salt! You are the salt of the earth!

To maintain your saltiness, you are encouraged today to reflect on your fundamental identity as salt, just as Jesus was, and ask the Holy Spirit if anything in your character needs to be purified.

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” - Colossians 4:6