Hungrily speaking, SALT is a colorless or white crystalline solid, chiefly sodium chloride, used extensively in ground or granulated form as a food seasoning and preservative, or in BM known as GARAM. It is not all that, SALT too can be link with the kingdom of God in earth.
According to Matthew 5:13, “You are like salt for the whole human race.” Oooo… no wonder when we sweat our skin taste salty, is it? Er, okay… sounds logic… but I guess… that’s not what Jesus meant.
“As we know, as human being SALT is important in our life. In ancient times, in addition for food seasoning, salt is also used to prevent the meat from rotting, and can store much longer. But why did Jesus use salt to picture us Christians?
The moment we are baptized, we are people, as well as priests and prophets. Lord Jesus sent the apostles to preach the gospel, so as we, who are baptized was sent to continue the work of the apostles in earth. Jesus taught his people to live and He brings them towards the truth. To live in solidarity with people. Same goes to us, as His messenger on earth, we should follow the attitude of Jesus to the people around us.” – translated version from Agnes Dayo (Buletin PEWARTA CDM)
But still, how does salt symbolizes all the above?
The bible always urged us to be SALT in every situation.
Let us look at the characteristics of salt:-
Salt does not favor any food (Garam tidak pilih kasih).
Say for example, when we add salt in our soup. It did not only diffuse (resap) only the chicken. But also the other ingredients, ie, the carrot, etc. Therefore, we should be like salt, helping not only your favourite person (own family, gf/bf, bestfriend, your own race) but to the all human race, which including the 'weak race', not only favorite to certain kaum like, kaum dusun only or kaum india only or kaum Melayu only, but kaum yang lemah.
Salt speaks through taste and feel. (Garam bersuara melalui rasa dan perisa)
Salt don't have voice, in silence it give taste to the food and the effect is so powerful it makes the food tasty and makes us happy.
Being salt, the focus is not on the self, but to others.
That's just the introduction part.
Here's the reality. The reality is we live in the era of post-modernism (selepas era moden). First came globalization, then urbanization (modernism) now post-modernism. Post-modernism is a big scary monster of nihilism and relativism and self-destruction that seeks to undo all that is good in modern civilization. The post-modernist says, "There is no truth," which means that if the statement is true, it is also false. In post modernism era, the danger can be, THE CHURCH HAS LOST ITS SALT...
The signs of the times are visible all around us. Therefore, there is a need and without delay as the fields ready for harvest but those willing to get out into the fields and do the hard work of seizing the moment are too few. There are too plenty of bystanders who stand in a safe distance on the modern road that runs beside the post modern fields, shouting their criticism and warning.
To respond the urgency, a new school is opened with the same old syllabus, with different style of teaching. It is a School of Acting Justly, Loving Tenderly Treading Humbly with God (Micah 6:8). The students called themselves SALTers, seeking to be salt and light, seeking to do good works, seeking to do justice and love mercy and walk humbly with God. Hope after graduation of SALTers, more workers will become willing to jump into the action and get their hands dirty in the postmodern fields, making visible the good news of Jesus.
