Salt in the Wound

I was thinking a while ago that salt was used to help prevent infection - to clean a wound of dirt or bacteria. I've read in little notes about it that "if left in too long, the salt would begin to sting".

That got me thinking about Christians in relation to the world.

Most Christians know about Jesus calling us the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13). Most people would also take that to mean something like this:

We're the salt in the wound of worldliness. We sometimes sting, but we help.

That's true, but I thought of something else when I read that last part; the stinging part.

Stinging isn't so fun, and I think a lot of the time, as Christians, we can do more harm - and give more pain - than good.

In the past I've stepped on nails. To help against whatever infection/etc. which might afflict me, I've soaked my wounded foot in salt water. It cleans the wound and eases the ache.

It doesn't hurt because the water dilutes the salt so that there is no stinging. It just feels good.

Similarly, the Holy Spirit brings grace to the words and actions of the Christian. The Holy Spirit is "poured out" on us. If we didn't have the Holy Spirit to help us, to sanctify us, and to give us the words to say in the hour in which we needed them, we'd be the salt that stings, not the salt that helps.

We need the water of the Holy Spirit to make our words and actions beneficial, instead of just painful. We're never too knowledgable or too "holy" to dismiss the One Who lives in us, helping us and making us more Christ-like.

Eh?