About a year ago, a good friend recommended some Canadian Steak Seasoning that her and her husband love. I purchased the seasoning and put it in the pantry in hopes that my husband the griller, who is so resistant to trying anything new, would be willing to give it a try. He did finally decide to use the seasoning. He made some juicy, mouth-watering steaks. When I took my first bite, I noticed that it tasted very salty. We discussed the saltiness of the steaks and agreed that next time he should probably not use as much (did I mention that my husband is an extremist?). The next several times, we had the same results. Way too salty! So, I decided to tell my friend about the problem. She very simply asked, “Are you following the directions on the bottle?”. My mind quickly processed what had been going on-of course we weren’t reading the bottle. It was steak seasoning. We can use as much or as little as we want, right? Wrong! So, I read the directions on the bottle and made a marinade with the seasoning. I put the marinade on the steaks and let them sit for a few hours. John came home later and grilled the steaks and the taste was perfect. Not too salty. Just right. Good enough to make you say, “I look forward to the next time we grill steak” and “I wonder if this stuff will work on vegetables and chicken.”
I learn so many lessons from life experience. The first and most obvious lesson here is, “Always read the directions first.” As a teacher, I should know this. My only excuse is that I have not been in the classroom for a few years now. But, there is also an underlying message in this story.
I began to think about this seasoning being too salty and it led me to think of Matt. 5:13 that says, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” I know that we are to be the salt of the earth as the book of Matthew commands, but, I wonder, can we as Christians ever be too salty? Even though it is not biblical, maybe there is some wisdom to the old saying that if you are too heavenly minded you are no earthly good. I believe that God wants us to have balance in every area of our life. This is not to say that we balance our godliness with worldliness. The point is that we cannot become self-righteous in our piety. We will become like the potent steak seasoning that left a thirsty aftertaste if we are not seasoned with the right ingredients.
Surely there are times in all of our lives when we do not feel like we are in season. You become tired and unmotivated to walk out your faith. It happens to us all. Paul writes in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.” So, even when we are out of season, it is still our responsibility to be prepared. Where is God sending you? What is His still small voice telling you to do? Are you listening? The second part of this verse says to “correct, rebuke, and encourage-with great patience and careful instruction.” Don’t be too hasty in passing judgement upon your brother or sister in Christ. Be careful to read the directions and mix in the correct elements-faith, hope, and love (the greatest of these is love).
I am working very hard on staying “in season”. If we are not “in season”, can we truly preach the word and be prepared? I encourage you to not be too salty, but on the other hand, don’t water down your faith either. The Word of God says, “if the salt loses it saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.” There is also nothing savory about a piece of bland, unseasoned steak. Don’t allow yourself to become unseasoned. Pray and listen to God and walk out your faith daily.
