Matthew 5:13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Dear Brothers and Sisters, May God’s spices, herbs and seasoning be ever upon you. Amen! I want to talk to you about flavor. I want to talk to you about being savory, delectable and of good taste. Right now, I can imagine you saying, “What’s this guy saying? Has he lost his mind? Does he think I am a chicken dinner?” Let me be clear, I am not calling you chicken – I assure you. But, in a manner of speaking, all Christians are a dish meant to be served to the starving unsaved souls around them. That means we need to be zesty and tangy, but not too tart; spicy and warm, but not too hot; inviting and friendly, but not too sweet. We need to be flavorful, my brothers and sisters, but not overbearing. How many of you remember the story of Goldie-Locks and the Three Bears? We need to be like that last bit of porridge – “Just right!” Mmmm Hmmm! Yes, sir! You see, salvation is free. Thus, we must not act like salesmen. Are you with me, folks? How many of you like fried chicken? I like the home cooked kind, but every now and again I used to buy K.F.C. [Kentucky Fried Chicken]. Of course, my own chicken is much better. LOL! But, I do on occasion enjoy the flavor of the colonel’s secret blend of herbs and spices. The Bible is God’s own blend of herbs and spices – 66 to be exact. And, unlike the colonel’s recipe, it’s no secret at all. God wants you to have it. He wants you to feast on it until it is coming out of your pores. He wants you to be bathed in it and most importantly, He wants you to feed it to others. You see, the bible is quite literally “soul food”. Yes, indeed! A better meal you shall never have. Uh-huh, that’s right. So, you know where the best spiritual flavor can be found – the B.I.B.L.E.
Now, let’s get down to the meat and potatoes [pun intended] of Matthew 5:13. You see, once you obtain God’s flavor, you have to maintain it or you will become tasteless and thus bland. I have to read and embody the bible every day. I do that to honor God by serving His scriptural dishes to all of you. I have to keep God’s flavor because if I served them to you cold and plain, you would not eat them. Am I making sense to you? Do you smell what I am cooking? [yes, that pun was intended, too]. Yes, I read the bible, but one does not cook a meal simply by doing nothing more than reading a recipe. The food’s not going to cook itself. You see, we must practice the Word. We must do our best to be the embodiment of it. And, we must do so daily. What happens to a turkey when you don’t baste it? It gets dry, right? It loses its flavor. [Yes, I did just compare us to turkeys.] I am having a little fun with you, but what I am saying is serious. Nobody wants to eat a dry turkey that has lost its flavor. Likewise, nobody wants to listen to a dry and lusterless Christian who does not embody the Word of God. Stay fresh, my brothers and sisters. Be strong in the Word. Do not just be hearers, but doers of the Word. For in so doing, our Christian nature becomes palatable to others and entices them to break bread with JESUS CHRIST. Hallelujah! Praise His Name! Amen and amen!
As you might be able to tell from the tone of my writing, I love food. Most of all, I love cooking for others and watching them enjoy my meal. So does JESUS. He loves to serve His food to us as we sit at His table. He loves to see how it transforms us and draws us closer to Him. Most importantly, He loves to watch us share His food and love with others by inviting them to feast with Him as well. I hope reading this made you hungry. Not for fried chicken, but for the Gospel. I love all you turkeys out there. Please make sure you stay moist and flavorful. I don’t want to leave anybody out now; so if meat’s not your thing, then you be the best rooten-tooten vegi-meal you can be or whatever your fancy. But, I digress. All jokes aside, folks, just be the best Christian and representative for the Lord that you can be. And, do not despair when you fail to do so, for we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. The important thing is that we strive for the sake of JESUS and our neighbors to be a beacon of hope shining for all to see – a feast of light, love, joy and peace – the very essence of which emanates from us and goes wafting through the air, enticing the lost to draw near to and dine with our Lord. That is what JESUS is saying in Matthew 5:13-16.
I send my love to all of you in the name of JESUS CHRIST. And, I leave you with this in hopes it sheds light on what the Lord willed me to write.
Luke 22:19-20 “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’ “
May God bless and keep you! May you savor the flavor of His gospel and become the embodiment of it! May all of you dine at the Lord’s table forever and ever. Amen!
Love in Christ,
Randall
[A man who strives to remain flavorful in the Lord]