Accounted as the Salt of the Earth

The Lord invited the early Saints in these words: “And seek the face of the Lord always, that in patience ye may possess your souls, and ye shall have eternal life. When men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 101:38-39). Elder José A. Teixeira spoke about becoming the salt of the earth in a recent address in general conference, and he said this: “Salt is made of two elements bonded together. We can’t be salt on our own; if we are to be salt of the earth, we must be bonded to the Lord, and that is what I see as I mingle with members of the Church around the world—I see faithful members of the Church bonded to the Lord, committed in their efforts to serve others and be the salt of the earth.” Those two elements are sodium and chloride, and one scientific source explains, “Neither element occurs separately and free in nature, but are found bound together as the compound sodium chloride.” In the same manner, our natural state is not to be separated from God but to be bonded together to Him. Only as we are connected to Him can we figuratively be the salt of the earth, able to serve and bless His children on earth. As we “seek the face of the Lord always,” making and keeping our covenants with Him, we will be accounted as the salt of the earth.

               In another revelation the Savior taught this, again using this same analogy: “And by hearkening to observe all the words which I, the Lord their God, shall speak unto them, they shall never cease to prevail until the kingdoms of the world are subdued under my feet, and the earth is given unto the saints, to possess it forever and ever. But inasmuch as they keep not my commandments, and hearken not to observe all my words, the kingdoms of the world shall prevail against them. For they were set to be a light unto the world, and to be the saviors of men; And inasmuch as they are not the saviors of men, they are as salt that has lost its savor, and is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden under foot of men” (Doctrine and Covenants 103:7-10). This highlights that becoming the salt of the earth has nothing to do with our own abilities or greatness; rather, to be the salt of the earth is to observe all the words of the Lord. It is to keep His commandments, for if we fail to do that, the world will prevail against us. We must stay committed to doing the will of the Lord, then He will make us His figurative salt to bless the children of men. I love this promise: we will never cease to prevail as long as we observe to do all the words of the Lord.

               This week my family has spent time on the beach, and looking at the vast Pacific ocean reminds me of the greatness of God’s creation and His infinite power over us. And the ocean seawater has a nearly limitless supply of salt: 78 million metric tons per cubic kilometer. That puts the estimated amount of total salt in the world’s oceans at about 104 quadrillion metric tons, a number far too large for us to have any sense of its real magnitude. But the point is that just as the world has plenty of salt, so too does the Lord have enough power and capacity to do His work without us. But we need Him, and He will let us participate in His saving work, becoming His salt, as we make covenants and bind ourselves to Him. As Elder Teixeira summarized, “As we remain bonded to the Lord, our lives will naturally reflect His light, and we will become the salt of the earth. In this effort, we not only enrich our lives but also strengthen our families and our communities.”