Family Activity

Clean and Dirty Salt

Jesus compared his followers to salt. In the time of Jesus, salt had two uses: food preservation and road repair (see the bible study for other uses). Harvested along the sea shore, large salt tablets were sold to and stored in rural hamlets. "Clean salt" would be used in the drying of meats and fish. Salt laced with impurities would be used to solidify muddy village streets after seasonal rains. To his followers, Jesus made a clear point. Immorality and obsessive cares for the world soiled the Christian commitment. A Christian in name only is worthless.

Today we use salt as a food favoring. Adapt that use to make the same point Jesus made. Gather table salt in one pile and dirt in another. Ask your family how people use salt. Compare salt to a person's character. Like pure salt, a person of good character (i.e., with many virtues) makes a faithful friend. Now mix the dirt with the salt. Ask your family members why they wouldn't use the tainted salt. If salt was like the qualities of a good friend, what does the dirt represent? (Sin, hurt, etc.) Ask why the salt-dirt mixture has no value. In the end, pray that God helps your family develop virtues, like good salt. Then throw the mixture away.