Salt of the Earth

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I have always been puzzled by Jesus’ words when he said, “You are the salt of the earth.”^[1] I have heard many explanations for this simple metaphor. Salts are crystals. Crystals have the special faculty of creating intriguing geometrical shapes and splitting the light to its full spectrum. It should be to no one’s surprise that this comparison would shine waves of colorful lights of interpretation. I would like to provide yet a new perspective, hidden in the many miles of a runner who has lots of time to think whether on the trail or on the pavement.

Araya Salt Mines, Sucre, Venezuela

My first experience with running and salt happened the first time I went on a run longer than one hour. When finished, I reached for my face to wipe out the sweat while stretching my back. As I moved my hands I scratched my face. It felt like a sandstorm had hit my skin unaware of its need of exfoliating. I did not know what happened. In only seconds I ran the route in my head to bring it back to memory. I did not run in the desert or the beach. There were no dunes or dust-lifting traffic. Surprised, I quickly looked into my hands for cues. It was… salt? I stared at it, it was salt. I tasted it on the tip of my tongue, it definitely was salt.

Salts are Crucial to Muscle Functions

Running for prolonged periods of time causes our bodies to lose salts along with sweat. In order to maintain a steady flow through our blood stream, many recommend that athletes take sports drinks and sports gels to ensure proper replacement.^[2] Having a steady supply of salts will ensure that muscles function steady as well, in perfect coordination, and free from irregular movements. Your run will look more like Big Ben than the clocks in Dali’s painting The Persistence of Memory.

As salt of the earth we are called to preserve some critical functions. We the salt synchronize the world by: practicing goodness, modeling generosity, keeping concord, fostering peace, helping growth, mediating progress, rescuing values, and loving God and our neighbor.

Salts are Temperature Regulators

Salt “helps athletes maintain a high blood volume, which in turn keeps body temperature and heart rate from rising.”^[3] Cooler body (in more than one way), and lower heart rates? What a winning formula! The dried salt in your face will not have you look cooler, but you will run cooler, easier, longer, and end with more energy. By the way, if you would like your water to be kept fresh during your runs, add a little salt to it.

As salt of the earth we are called to keep a high “blood of the Lamb” volume. This is mainly done through our consistent, dependable, and enduring presence. We the salt are here for the long run to keep the temperatures controlled. In the midst of a rising climate, be it in the office or at home, our temperament cools others down. We maintain a calm spirit, ease the hearts, and help everyone get over the hump. We are first to say to others: chill out, salt!

Salts are Electrical Conductors

Neither water nor fat conduct electricity. Saline solutions do. Think of your muscles like electric appliances wired with your nerves. They turn on and off by electric switches formed when salts dissolve in your body. These electric switches are called electrolytes.^[4] Insufficient levels of electrolytes lead to uncontrolled contractions causing muscle weakness and fatigue, injuries, and dreaded cramps.

As salt of the earth we act like electrolytes; solutions – not problems – that enable communication throughout. We salt are called to connect the lonely, activate the passive, enable the dysfunctional, support the challenged, turn off the overactive, and move us all forward.


We salt enable everyone to carry their own critical function in the exercise of their faith. We provide a place safe from relational injuries and spiritual cramps. Our mediatory properties get a world so broken, so divided, and so desperate for true connectedness with God and with one another going in concert. We are, or perhaps should be, this salt of the earth.

NOTES:

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^[1] Quoted from Matthew 5:13 NIV. The reference also appears in Mark 9:50 and Luke 14:34-35. Comparing the versions allows us to also see that salt was used to make peace, to make new covenants, and to make manure. They allude to the fact that salt is good for the earth, good for the economy, and good for the relationships. Yes. Like in the old days when you used to knock on your neighbors front door to ask for salt.
^[2] We not only lose salt in its more common form of table salt or Sodium Chloride, but we also lose Calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium. These salts are readily available in a variety of foods but can get depleted really fast for endurance athletes who cannot eat enough while exercising. There is some disagreement on the topic of how much salt is lost and how much can be or should be ingested during longer periods of physical activity. I have found a good discussion on this at Kevin Sayers’ Ultra Running Website (http://www.ultrunr.com/sodium.html).
^[3] Fitzgerald, Matt, How much salt do you need while running?. Active.com. Last accessed, May 25, 2011.
^[4] Electrolyte, Wikipedia. Last accessed, May 25, 2011.

Vladimir Lugo