Ever been to a salt mine? A few years ago Joe and I toured a mine right outside of Krakow, the Wieliczka Salt Mine. With my claustrophobia I was hesitant to adventure from 64 meters to 135 meters below the earth’s surface, but it proved well worth the trek.
This 900-year-old historic site consisting of winding passages, giant caves (2,040 caverns) lakes, and chapels all carved out of rock salt and shared a valuable history lesson about our ordinary table salt.
What can a common spice teach us? Back in its day, common salt was traded and valued like oil is today. It was because of what it did for other things that made it so important and esteemed.
Salt was in high regard and often used as a high standard. (“He’s not worth his salt.”)
Salt brings out flavor, and adds zest to everything. Salt acted as a preservative to prevent spoilage, as it does in many ways today, making it a very valuable commodity.
Even Jesus used salt in his teaching, “you are the salt of the earth”. Just what are we suppose to learn from this?
We are each called to be each other’s salt in two ways:
We add flavor:
We draw out the best in others, adding the spice of life – we make people smile, we dash their fears (real or imaginary), we add the zest of friendship, love, a hug, a phone call, sharing a meal. Salt in us brings out the best in ourselves allowing us to enhance the lives of others, just like the foods it serves. Let’s be aware of how much better our lives are when we include the flavor of all those we have come to know over the years.
We preserve:
Like salt, we also preserve each other, protecting health and happiness. We encourage one another on our journey, cheer those on chasing their dreams, safeguard their reputations, keep alive their faith and help put situations in perspective – take it with a “grain of salt”.
So let us never forget that we are salt for one another. Keep your special flavor strong so that all whose lives you touch will grow, flourish and persevere.
