Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea. If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where

'Their worm does not die,

And the fire is not quenched.'

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

- Mark 9:42-50

In yesterday's reading, Jesus' disciples were disputing among themselves as they traveled -- who would be greatest in the kingdom? Jesus taught them about humility. He said, "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and servant of all." Taking a child in His arms, He taught, "Whoever receives one of these little children in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me, receives not Me but Him who sent Me." When the disciples reported seeing others casting out demons in Jesus' name, He told them, "He who is not against us is on our side. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward."

"But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea." Jesus is referring to the passages from yesterday's reading, as He continues here to teach the disciples about the humility required to be His servants. Our greatest charge, as followers of Christ, is the care of the "little ones." These "little ones" He compares to the little children He spoke of in our previous passage, when He took a little child in His arms to teach the disciples about the care of those in their charge. "Little ones" in this case are humble believers in the church - the ones who come for teaching and instruction, in faith, with no pretension to leadership. Jesus' stern warning here should serve as our understanding of His greatest concern: that humble believers who join the church in faith should be treated as if He Himself is present in them - and therefore the Father as well. This warning is directed at those who would use these "little ones" for the purpose of declaring their own greatness, and abuse the power and trust put in them to serve. My study bible says that "leaders are to be 'last': faithful and serving. A major cause of stumbling for Christians is that their leaders seek to be great."

"If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you enter life lame, rather than having two feet, to be cast into hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, rather than having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire -- where 'Their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.' " Jesus emphasizes so strongly the power of humility, and its essential quality in service to the faithful, that He uses the most vivid language possible: that of cutting off a hand or arm or leg rather than continuing in a career in which mistakes of arrogance are made and hence a failure to serve in true discipleship. The repeated passage, which refers to Judgment and true spiritual death, is from Isaiah 66:24. This visceral reminder is clearly meant to invoke the greatest importance to the disciples, and teach them about their own necessary repentance as they move through their careers as leaders in this church: whatever gets in the way of that service to the "least among them," it must be cast aside. Better to lose even something you feel is precious to you (such as personal grandiosity) than to truly throw one's life away by failing to do the important job of service to the people in this church, the lambs who will need shepherding. My study bible says, "To bring leaders to servanthood, Jesus requires not physical mutilation but uncompromising detachment, even from the most precious relationships or possessions, if they cause sin. As a negative motivation, He portrays eternal torment." Often, in spiritual growth, we may find that the things we cherish the most are things we need to give up, as my study bible points out. This would include cherished notions about ourselves, and our particular relations to others.

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt." To be seasoned with fire is to be tested. Discipleship will take us through that fire. Are there things you have had to give up in pursuit of real discipleship? Convenient or familiar notions of what is good, or even proper to you, that you may have had to cast aside? Here, Jesus continues His response to the disciples' fighting over who would be greatest in the coming kingdom - which they perhaps misunderstood to be imminent. Our notions of "greatness" here must be discarded - that is part of the seasoning fire the disciples are going through. They will make the sacrifice of such notions, and this sacrifice must be seasoned with salt. Salt, then, becomes the great metaphor for the essence which Jesus is looking for in each of us, that thing that preserves us as His own, even through fire, through judgment. Salt is an important quality that teaches us about truly saving our lives, for an eternal life. As a precious preservative in Jesus' time, salt means that which creates and retains value in us, for us - the thing that makes us His own whom He will keep with Him always.

"Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another." This quality within us must be retained at all "costs" - whatever it is we must lose in order to keep it. Once salt loses its flavor, Jesus seems to say, it cannot be replaced, and it is of no use to Him. To "have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another" is to learn to be the devoted servants He wants. My study bible says, "This difficult passage, directed specifically to the disciples, mixes both negative and positive images of salt. This may be a combination of statements made by Jesus in different contexts. (1) The fire with which everyone will be seasoned (lit. 'salted') seems to refer back to the fire of judgment. (2) Every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt tells us suffering will happen to all who follow Christ, a positive experience when undertaken in humble faith. (3) Salt is good refers to the special quality of life expected of disciples, particularly those whom Christ has called to spread His gospel. Have peace with one another suggests that one way to lose flavor as salt is to be striving for greatness."

So, salt, then becomes the great metaphor for the stuff of which we must be made to be truly Christ's disciples. What do you think it is to be "seasoned" (or "salted") with fire? Why, indeed, does Jesus speak of sacrifice - particularly having referred so vividly to the cutting off of limbs, even our eyes, if necessary, in order to preserve our lives? So seriously does He take this issue of humility, of the willingness to serve, that He gives His most powerful metaphors in emphasis of it. Whatever stands in the way of this service has to go - and if we allow any form of our own grandiosity or need for competition with others to get in the way of service, to harm the "little ones," then we will lose what we have. We lose our salt. We lose the quality of character that preserves and protects our lives, giving us true value which is everlasting in the kingdom. Ultimately, it is God before whom we must be humble, and a prayer life of many years will teach us what we need to discard for service to God. What is it then that you look for in leadership? What makes a good teacher? What creates a true disciple of Christ who can lead and care for others? This is a vastly important question - for if our leadership cannot be humble itself, cannot teach by example what selflessness is, then how can they teach the "little ones?" How do we welcome all, and teach by example, if not by the humility Christ is asking? How is it that people are turned away from the church, except by the harsh judgment or superiority, or perhaps the grandiosity of leaders who wish to rule rather than serve. Discipleship is powerful and difficult, and yet it is we who seek to serve who must set the example first. As we go forward, God may ask us to give up things that are precious to us, in order to serve the better. Let us remember the little child who appears in His name, with His image, and that of the Father as well. How do we retain our salt? How do we have peace with one another?