Marriage and Salt
Marriage and Salt. Read Matt.5:13 Salt is something most people need. Some people don’t use much salt, while others do. It is one of those chemicals people have been using since time immemorial. When my wife and I went to the Dead Sea nearly 5 years ago, we had an awesome experience. We couldn’t and didn’t want to put our heads into the salt-water. The water is so thick with salt, so intense, and it stings your skin especially your eyes if you get some into them. We just floated on our backs, and literally read a book, our face towards the heavens. Salt throughout history has been used for flavouring and preserving food. But it has some destructive powers as well. If you travel through some parts of Australia you’ll find some small salt lakes and the vegetation close by is dead. Some fertile land has been destroyed. Jesus often used metaphors to teach daily-life-applications. He said “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 by men.” It becomes useless.
Consistency is a very important concept and principle to learn. For salt to be useful it must have consistency. If its flavour changes, because of moisture and other factors, it is declared ‘useless.’ In the Christian life we must be consistent in our daily walk with God, because there are various influences that could easily impact our lives. Be consistent with your daily devotion. The Psalmist says in 119: 9 “How can a young man (or young woman for that matter) cleanse his way? By taking heed according to your word.” v.11 “Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.”
Consistency is something we can apply in many aspects of our lives: marriage relationships for instance-- to be a constant blessing (salt) to one another, husband and wife must be loving to each other, not only when people are looking at them. They must share their material resources and be transparent especially when it comes to money and ‘text’. Someone has said “you have a trusted and faithful husband if he allows you to answer his cell phone and say, ‘honey will you answer my cell phone, please.’”
Walk and talk is important. Many marriages (even Christians) went by the way side (and are suffering) because of this issue. It affects other relationships; with your children, in- laws and sometimes the body of Christ. Christ’s love for the church was a sacrificial love, He gave His life. Man’s love for his wife must be sacrificial too. Sometimes Christian men have misunderstood the phrase “wives submit to your husband.” And abuse it. As men, we need to realise that our love for our wives must be ‘sacrificial love.’ Someone has said “that’s too much.” You must be willing to sacrifice your time, your money, your effort, yes, even your life insurance policy (if you have one), and more ‘YES’ ‘YES’ ‘YES’ even your very life for your wife’s sake. Men have a higher, more loving obligation. (Some may disagree with me, but read Eph.5: 1-33 concerning the Spirit-filled life). Let us be the ‘salt’ where we can preserve and put more flavouring into our marriage. This is all possible if you know, and apply the grace of God into your life. All by grace and by grace alone.
