“Salt is good for seasoning. But if it loses its flavor, how do you make it salty again? You must have the qualities of salt among yourselves and live in peace with each other.” Mark 9:50 (NLT)
As the homesteading wife of a hunter, brining is a familiar practice in our home. While arranging turkey pieces in a bowl with my hands submerged in cold saltwater, I began reflecting on why brine is needed and how the practice began. For generations, brining served a practical purpose to preserve meat and other foods when refrigeration was unavailable, extending shelf life and making storage safer through difficult seasons. Over time, it remained valuable not only for preservation, but also for tenderness and flavor. Even today, with modern refrigeration, we still brine, because salt carries seasoning deep into the meat, creating lasting flavor that does not simply cook away.
Submerged in the Salt
As a believer, we must seek brine over simple seasoning in our day-to-day lives. To be submerged in salt is to be completely surrounded by what preserves, strengthens, and brings goodness. In the same way, believers need fellowship with others who are also striving to be the salt of the earth. God did not design us to walk alone. Faith-filled community encourages us, corrects us, prays for us, and helps guard our hearts from spiritual decay. When we remain connected to other believers, their faith strengthens ours, and together we emulate God’s preserving grace to those around us.
Feeling Salty?
While the ways of the world may have us feeling “salty,” irritated, defensive, or ready to fight; as believers, we are involved in a very real spiritual battle that requires us to remain alert, examine ourselves, and put on the full armor of God. We must pause regularly and honestly reflect on our goals, our worldview, and the influences shaping our daily lives. How are we treating our families? What are we watching, reading, listening to, and allowing to occupy our minds? Who surrounds us, and are those relationships drawing us closer to Christ or gradually pulling us away?
The influences of the world do not always change us suddenly. Often, they slowly dilute our spiritual “saltiness,” weakening our discernment and making us less effective in reflecting Christ. This is why we must remain submerged in the brine of God’s Word, prayer, worship, and fellowship. The longer we remain surrounded by His truth, the more deeply its preserving and transforming qualities penetrate our hearts.
We also need fellow believers who will stand with us; ready for the spiritual battle with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we sharpen one another’s iron and push forth through prayer, encouragement, accountability, and loving correction. Together, we can feel “salty” with grace, resisting spiritual decay, preserving what is good, and moving forward prepared to fight; not against people, but against the spiritual forces that seek to weaken our faith and diminish our witness.
Vinegar in the Brine
Some brines require a touch of vinegar to create the acidity needed to slow decay, which also reminds us that preservation does not always feel comfortable. If we surround ourselves only with what feels safe, easy, and agreeable, we risk becoming spiritually soft and unprepared for the realities of life. The brine is not meant to shelter us from suffering. Instead, it prepares us to persevere through it. We need truth, experience, the right armor, and faithful “battle buddies” who will stand with us in honesty when spiritual conflict comes. Most importantly, we must be authentic about what is within our brine. Spiritual maturity means recognizing when we need the vinegar through honestly admitting where we need correction, strengthening, accountability, and deeper transformation.
Cassandra is the author of Growth in the Grief and The Grit and Grace Column. She is also published in Arise Daily, Snark and Sensibility, and Heart of Hospitality Magazine. She is a wife, mother, writer, U.S. Navy veteran, cybersecurity business-owner, podcaster, and doctoral student with degrees in English and business, and majors in strategic leadership and technology management. Her current research focuses on servant leadership and leader-member exchange within strategic leadership. She is the mother of four children and lives on her homestead in the mountains of Maine with her family, dogs, highland cow, pigs, and chickens.
Visit Cassandra’s website, or grab her for speaking or podcasting here.
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