I was sitting in the hospital room in Jasper, Alabama. The food service delivered his meal. It was tasteless and discolored, typical hospital food. My grandfather picked up his utensil packet. It had a packet of salt in it, not enough of course. He asked for more and got it, though, he was not supposed to have it. What would one extra tiny packet of salt do. Nothing at all. He picked it up with his big, weathered hand. In that instant it was communicated to me the history of those hands. They had shot at Germans and who knows who what else. They had worked in gardens. They held a beautiful lady named Doris for many years. They were not just hands. They were volumes of life. With one of these hands, He took the tiny salt packet, diminishing it even more by comparison, and he tore the edge of it. He emptied its contents onto the food.
That image has stayed with me. Unfortunately, my grandfather did not. I was one of the last, if not the last to speak with him before he died. Why cant I get that image out of my head? Everytime I pick up a paper packet of salt, I am seeing this moment which was frozen in time.
You are the salt of the earth... (Matt. 5:13)
I have read this so many times. I have even preached it a bunch. It is an easy passage to preach. Yet, I may have missed the most important thing, the first thing that is said in this verse. You are the salt of the earth... Who is the salt of the earth?
I believe that Buddy Brown knew Jesus. Now, he didnt always act like it. I love saying that. The minute some people read that, they start trying to dismantle it. Great isnt it. Truth: You dont always act like you know Jesus either. Before he became a Christian, he was an alcoholic. I am sure he drank some after he came to know Jesus. But, he knew Jesus. The sad part to me is that because of the legalism of the Christian South, he probably felt comdemned by his occasional slip. I wish I knew then what I know now.
Buddy Brown was the salt of the earth. He was rough and rugged, a real man, not one of these pansies that the world is producing today. He was a man. He could play a guitar and sing a gospel song, kill his own food, fix a tractor, buy a tractor, work a garden, love his wife, work his job, and kick your ass all in the same day. But, he was so real. He didnt dress up for anyone or change his ways. He was Buddy Brown. A good man.
Salt is very simple. I mean, what else can you do with it but season things and preserve things. If someone is the salt of the earth, then he too is simple. Jesus could have said, You are the diamonds of the earth. He didnt because diamonds are only for show.
If you really want to make this verse fit the present day setting of religion you would have to say, You are the diamonds of the earth. We already think we are. We feel like we have something to offer people. Most religious people, even Christians, only study their Bibles to get some information and ammunititon to share with other people so they can show how smart they are. We are the diamonds of the earth.
As I said, salt seasons and preserves. But, diamonds show themselves. Go ahead and shake a little diamond on your chicken. See how that works for you. Be salt. Season the lives of people with the humility of being less than them. Preserve them with the potency of Jesus in you.
Good ole Buddy Brown sure did season some lives.
I love you, your servant, your friend,
Tim
That image has stayed with me. Unfortunately, my grandfather did not. I was one of the last, if not the last to speak with him before he died. Why cant I get that image out of my head? Everytime I pick up a paper packet of salt, I am seeing this moment which was frozen in time.
You are the salt of the earth... (Matt. 5:13)
I have read this so many times. I have even preached it a bunch. It is an easy passage to preach. Yet, I may have missed the most important thing, the first thing that is said in this verse. You are the salt of the earth... Who is the salt of the earth?
I believe that Buddy Brown knew Jesus. Now, he didnt always act like it. I love saying that. The minute some people read that, they start trying to dismantle it. Great isnt it. Truth: You dont always act like you know Jesus either. Before he became a Christian, he was an alcoholic. I am sure he drank some after he came to know Jesus. But, he knew Jesus. The sad part to me is that because of the legalism of the Christian South, he probably felt comdemned by his occasional slip. I wish I knew then what I know now.
Buddy Brown was the salt of the earth. He was rough and rugged, a real man, not one of these pansies that the world is producing today. He was a man. He could play a guitar and sing a gospel song, kill his own food, fix a tractor, buy a tractor, work a garden, love his wife, work his job, and kick your ass all in the same day. But, he was so real. He didnt dress up for anyone or change his ways. He was Buddy Brown. A good man.
Salt is very simple. I mean, what else can you do with it but season things and preserve things. If someone is the salt of the earth, then he too is simple. Jesus could have said, You are the diamonds of the earth. He didnt because diamonds are only for show.
If you really want to make this verse fit the present day setting of religion you would have to say, You are the diamonds of the earth. We already think we are. We feel like we have something to offer people. Most religious people, even Christians, only study their Bibles to get some information and ammunititon to share with other people so they can show how smart they are. We are the diamonds of the earth.
As I said, salt seasons and preserves. But, diamonds show themselves. Go ahead and shake a little diamond on your chicken. See how that works for you. Be salt. Season the lives of people with the humility of being less than them. Preserve them with the potency of Jesus in you.
Good ole Buddy Brown sure did season some lives.
I love you, your servant, your friend,
Tim
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