Some believers in Denver have chosen to name their church the “Scum of the Earth”—that being lifted from Paul’s statement: “We respond gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage [the scum of the earth] like everybody's trash…” (I Cor. 4:13, NLT, NIV in brackets).
Maybe we are not being treated like the scum of the earth today, but Jesus spoke of a day when we would: “when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.” (Matt. 5:11) But Jesus didn’t leave it at that. He went on to say: “Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted too” (5:12). But then Jesus said [but you are not the scum of the earth,] “you are the salt of the earth” (5:13).
I could write a book about this analogy but I will emphasize two things. On one hand, salt makes foods better—sweets taste sweeter; naturally bitter foods, like chocolate, become deliciously palatable. And even more, salt is a preservative (you will find tons of it in canned and frozen foods!). On the other hand, too much salt can harm you—causing high blood pressure, strokes, and heart attacks.
Can you see the paradox? Though our saltiness is meant to bring the sweetness of Jesus to a bitter world, it offends unbelievers, causing them (metaphorically) strokes and heart failure. And for that reason they hate us. Don’t hesitate to salt the world around you for fear of being reviled. But be like those Christians in Denver who proudly call themselves the scum of the earth!
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