Seasoning a Bland World

“You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled underfoot.”( Matt 5::13 NRSV)

As we continue this Lent journey, we are called to reflect on who we are and how we live. The words of Jesus in Matthew 5:13 stand as a challenge and a call. "You are the salt of the earth." Salt, in its purest form, does more than add flavor—it preserves, it purifies, and it challenges the blandness of the world around it. To be the salt of the earth is not a call to blend in but to stand out, to bring change, and to bring the flavor of God’s justice, love, and truth to a world that has long lost its taste.

In the context of Liberation Theology, we understand that the gospel is not just a personal message of salvation but a radical declaration of God’s justice, freedom, and liberation for the oppressed. For too long, the world has been conditioned to accept systems that perpetuate violence, inequality, and suffering. This world is bland—not because of a lack of resources or hope, but because the forces that dominate it have numbed our senses to the urgency of justice, peace, and equity. Jesus calls us to season this world with the power of God’s Kingdom, to be the salt that makes things taste as they should.

Seasoning a Bland World:
The "bland world" is a world of injustice—where the cries of the poor and oppressed are often ignored. The world is stale with systems that oppress people of color, with institutions that thrive on inequality, and with a culture that often values power over people. But Jesus, in his radical message, calls the Church, the Body of Christ, to be different. The salt of the earth is not passive. It is the salt that preserves the dignity of those who have been oppressed. It is the salt that purifies the systems of power that keep people in chains. It is the salt that transforms the bland into something vibrant with the flavor of God’s kingdom—where justice flows like a river and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

James Cone in Black Liberation Theology invites us to remember that the gospel is always political—it addresses the liberation of those in bondage, the breaking of chains, and the restoration of God's Kingdom on earth. When we season a bland world, we are not merely adding flavor to an already comfortable world. We are called to stir up the saltiness of resistance against systems of oppression and to season the world with the radical love of God that calls for freedom, justice, and equality.

What must we do:
As individuals, we must ask ourselves during this season of Lent: How are we contributing to the seasoning of the world? Are we preserving the dignity of our neighbors? Are we purifying the systems around us with the salt of justice and truth? Or have we lost our saltiness by becoming complacent, apathetic, or complicit in the injustices that continue to thrive?

As a church, we are called to embody this salt in community. The church should be a place where the flavor of God’s justice is tangible, where we not only pray for the oppressed but also actively work to free the oppressed. We are called to be a community that doesn’t just comfort those who are hurting, but works to dismantle the systems that cause their suffering. We are the salt, and as a community, we must work together to ensure that our saltiness is never lost—because when salt loses its flavor, it becomes useless.

As a church body, our communal saltiness is a force against the powers of darkness. Yet too often, our institutions align with the status quo rather than standing as beacons of liberation. What good is a church that will not speak against injustice? A bland church will find itself "trampled underfoot," rendered irrelevant in the movement of God's kingdom.
Black churches, historically are vessels of hope and resilience, reminding us of salt’s preservative power in their liberating acts. During this Lenten journey, let us gather strength from this legacy—becoming sanctuaries of healing and platforms for liberation. Whether through activism, advocacy, or gospel proclamation, our collective voice can flavor a tasteless world.

Prayer: God of Liberation, we thank you for calling us to be the salt of the earth. We confess that at times we have allowed our saltiness to fade, choosing comfort over justice and apathy over action. Stir us up this Lent to be the seasoning that this bland world needs—seasoning that brings liberation to the oppressed, justice to the marginalized, and truth to the powerful. May we be a community that boldly proclaims your kingdom of justice and peace. Empower us to act, to stand up for those who have no voice, and to challenge the systems that perpetuate harm. Let our lives be a reflection of Your Kingdom on earth.  In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.