In a recent job training class that lasted several weeks, when participating in a split session, the trainees came up with two team names, ‘Spicy’ and ‘Salty.’ They produced these names because of the banter that had gone on within the group. The spicy ones being ‘on fire’ with their quick come backs and often time sarcasms, and the others being a little slower to respond, being perceived as a little grouchier, more conservative, withdrawn and sometimes taking umbrage to what someone else had said. Keep in mind this was all being done over chat lines and zoom calls because of the times of quarantine we were in. The words were being used in a more contemporary or urban way than the traditional way where they would normally be referring to food products or spices. When the human element is involved, languages evolve, expressions are formed, and phrases are coined.
Traditionally, the actual meaning of salt by Webster’s is “: a crystalline compound NaCl that consists of sodium chloride, is abundant in nature, and is used specially to season or preserve food or in industry.” It is used to provide flavor to food or used as a preservative. It has also been used to denote hierarchy, such as in seating people at the table. Webster indicates that the container of salt on the table would be the middle ground, with some of lower estate seated below the salt and others of a higher rank seated above the salt. It also carries the connotation of adding something secretly, such as to ‘salt the files’ indicating that they have interspersed false information into the truth. It can in turn be used for skepticism regarding a person or information, when stating, “I will take that with a grain of salt.” However, someone who is very dependable might be referred to as ‘the salt of the earth’ or you would testify of them, “They are definitely worth their weight in salt!”
The tears that we cry taste salty to us because of the electrolytes in our bodies that assist in many areas including brain and muscle function. We know that often when runners are constantly on the go in the heat of the summer, they are encouraged to not only drink a lot of water, but also drinks that contain electrolytes to replenish what they have lost, for optimum performance and to prevent cramping and other issues that could arise. When babies are sick and constantly throwing up, they are given Pedialyte which is a drink that has been designed just for babies, because the milk at that moment is not all they need, they need to replenish the electrolytes in their bodies. Humans are complex creatures and salt is found in most of our fluids such as blood, sweat and tears. This could possibly be where that expression originated from, for example, “They were worth their weight in salt, because they put their blood, sweat and tears into every task.”
Salt is used to cure meats and to preserve foods. When I was a child, my best friend’s father would hunt, bring home a deer and they would cut it into strips, salt it generously and hang it to dry for weeks to make what we know as jerky. The salt prevents botulism from growing in the meats, thereby ‘curing’ it. Salt is used to heal the human body as well. My mom would always tell us as kids if we felt an ulcer in our mouths or had a sore throat, “gargle with salt water.” Though salt is readily available now, it has not always been. It was a highly sought-after commodity and often used to pay people for their work, thus giving us the derivative word, we now use, salary. It was used as trade; many wars were fought over this valuable product and has come through a grueling process for thousands of years to make it to our tables in the form we now take for granted. Therefore, we should not scoff at mother or grandmothers so called ‘home remedies,’ when in fact they are priceless.
You have heard the expression, “I pinky promise.” If you locked pinkies, it becomes a promise you will keep forever. It is more binding that just saying I promise and is a serious vow. It has been used over the years to teach children that if they give their word, they should keep it. However, a covenant is a solemn promise with contingencies and or a promise by both parties in a binding agreement, “If you do ABC, I will do XYZ.” The word covenant as defined by Websters dictionary is: “A formal and serious agreement or promise, such as a covenant with God or the covenant of marriage. A law: a formal written agreement between two or more people, businesses, countries, etc. E.g., an international covenant on human rights, or the restrictive covenants of the building development prohibit the construction of buildings over thirty feet tall. A solemn and binding agreement, a pact. It is a written agreement or promise usually under seal between two or more parties especially for the performance of some action.” What then is a ‘Salt Covenant’?
In the Old Testament, all the tribes of Israel had received an inheritance of land except the Levites. They were to serve as priests daily in the tabernacle and subsequently the temple before the Lord and the people. A grueling and thankless job at times. God had promised to take care of them, and their families were fed from the offerings that were brought before the Lord to the temple. God does not do anything second rate. When he makes a promise, the fulfillment will be above and beyond. He stated in Leviticus 2:13, “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt thou season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.” As well as in Numbers 18:19, “All the heave offerings of the holy things, which the children of Israel offer unto the Lord, have I given thee, and thy sons and thy daughters with thee, by a statute forever: it is a covenant of salt for ever before the Lord unto thee and to thy seed with thee.” Salt was a priceless commodity; it could not be replaced by anything else and gave flavor to everything it was put on. It made the food that was offered to the priest tastier and more preserved in the desert weather. And was representative of something that would be everlasting. Job stated in Job 6:6, “Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?” Rhetorical questions. Food needs salt to be flavorful and since this was the Levites inheritance, why would God offer them something second rate? He would not. He always gives his children the absolute best. (There is also a side lesson in this for those offering something to the Lord, do not give him your leftovers, give Him your best, your first fruits. Do not skimp on the salt!)
God in turn also made a Covenant of Salt with the throne of David forever, and on one occasion Abijah of Judah (of which David descended) got up in the midst of a battle, where Jeroboam rose up against Solomon, son of David, to remind them of this, in 2 Chronicles 13:5 he stated, “Ought ye not to know that the Lord God of Israel gave the kingdom over Israel to David forever, even to him and to his sons by a covenant of salt?” When his declaration was over, they disregarded his words and proceeded to attack anyway. God was on the side of Judah as Abijah had exhorted and fought the battle for them slaying five hundred thousand men that day, thus reconfirming the Covenant of Salt with the tribe of Judah. However, we know that this holds even greater significance to us today. The Covenant of Salt continued that day in Bethlehem when the Christ child was born, of the tribe of Judah and of the house of David! Our savior was the fulfillment of that everlasting promise. He had made a covenant of salt that His kingdom will not end.
We are also privileged to be a part of that salt covenant, Matthew 5:13 tells us, “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has lost his savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.” To keep our savor and effectiveness in this world we must be in constant contact with the one whose salt covenant has no end, Jesus Christ. He is who preserves us and gives us the ability to bring salt, flavor, and thirst for the rivers of living water to those around us daily. If we are professing to have what people need, and they try out what we are offering and find there is no flavor in it, they will move on. Mark 9:50 tells us to keep that saltiness, “Salt is good: but if the salt has lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace one with another.” We must first preserve ourselves before we can have anything to offer to others. Colossians 4:6 states, “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” As salt is harvested from a source, we must be connected to the source to maintain our effectiveness as the salt of the earth. Remember when we are offering Jesus to the world, He is a priceless commodity. There is nothing better that we can give them. The covenant of salt and the promises of God live on through us. Do not skimp on the salt!