2 Kings 2:21 Then he went to the spring of water and threw salt in it and said, “Thus says the Lord, I have healed this water; from now on neither death nor miscarriage shall come from it.”
The first challenge after Elisha was anointed with the double portion prophetic anointing of Elijah was to heal the “bitter waters” of the “barren land”. 2 Kings 2:19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look,…the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” Elisha threw some salt into the spring and healed the toxic water and the infertility of the land. When bitterness and barrenness were healed, there was prolific productivity and life.
The metaphoric representation of “the salt” that healed the spring is “the salt of Godliness” which tames our souls. The salt that heals bitterness is “forgiveness” and the salt that heals barrenness is “meekness and gentleness”. On the contrary the two evils that devour the joy of our soul are resentment and pride. Jesus said, “Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them” (John 7:38). Sprinkling our soul with the salt of Christlikeness will heal the sourness within us and transform it to sweetness and succulent wisdom.
Season your life with the salt of Godliness:
1. Sweet: Bitterness is a root that is deep down in the soul. We will be able to change the taste of the fruit only if the bitter roots are uprooted. Proverbs 16:24 “Kind words are like honey–sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” When the source of the spring (inner man) is salted with love, then, health and healing will be restored. Medicate insults, betrayal and rejection with God’s Word. Sprinkle your soul with love.
2. Soft: Aggression and arrogance comes from a puffed up proud heart. Egotism, control and selfishness are rooted in superiority and overconfidence. Proverbs 15:1 “A soft word turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Let your answers always be soft, humble and calm. Don’t rush to give an answer or express your views. Calm down yourself – Impetuous reactions and insolent words leave deep scars. Season your tongue with gentleness and meekness.
3. Superfluous: Jesus said, ‘Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34). Our mouth is the window to our heart. If our heart is filled with love, purity and piety, we will overflow with joy, cheerfulness and positivity. However, if we dwell in the past mishap, there will be stupor, silliness and sarcasm in our vocabulary. Proverbs 18:4 “A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.” To bubble with living-giving, riving and encouraging words of wisdom, slather your soul with the sweetness, Godliness and Holiness.
If we hoard unresolved anger in our hearts, it will turn into bitterness and barrenness. As Elisha threw a handful of salt to heal the bitterness and barrenness of the land, we must season our soul with the salt of Godliness, gentleness and meekness to become productive, fruitful and profitable.
John 4:14 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst; but the water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.”
Prayer: Dear Jesus, if there are roots of unforgiveness, unresolved anger or unkindness hidden in my heart, I pray that you would empower me to uproot it from my soul. May my soul be seasoned with Christlikeness. Amen.
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