By Ashlie Miller

Let us begin with a controversial statement — watermelon tastes best sprinkled with salt. I can already see the email notifications lighting up! I am a Southern gal raised in Southern ways. My earliest watermelon feasts occurred at my grandparents’ home on Sam Wilson Road in Charlotte. We would sit at a newspaper-covered picnic table adorned with dull knives and a salt shaker. Today, I still prefer a watermelon with salt. It enhances the flavor, whether it is already sweet or needs some help.

Any food connoisseur, from the home cook to the high-end chef to the passive foodie, could list many foods whose flavor is enhanced by a pinch of salt — bitter coffee or chocolate, sour grapefruit, even a salad. Although a common seasoning, it does extraordinary things. It both suppresses less-than-desirable or offensive flavors and enhances the lovely ones.

It is no wonder that Jesus refers to salt when He commands His followers to be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13) or when Paul says to season our conversations with salt (Colossians 4:6).

Salt is helpful in many ways — gardening, cleaning, preserving and offering sacrifices; it was even a commodity in ancient economies. As Christians, we can see many metaphors of how that relates to our walk in Christ among the people we encounter daily. However, as we finally officially enter summer and you likely will pick up a watermelon to enjoy, let us consider how we can add flavor to our conversations and relationships with others.

If salt suppresses things that are not desirable — like conflict — how can I diffuse such things in conversations? I could avoid partaking in a juicy piece of gossip under the guise of a prayer request. It may mean that I speak up for someone not around to defend themselves. It may also mean avoiding flattery — speaking kind things to someone’s face that I would not say about them to others — with the intention of personal gain.

If, like salt, we are to enhance the desirable flavors of things — how can I intentionally work towards edifying someone? I might send someone a note of encouragement on a job well done or a thank you for a kind gesture extended my way. I may see someone who is down or struggling through life and pray with them or speak life into their spirit. Sharing scripture is a great way to succeed in that.

Although, like salt, we may be merely common, we know that God chooses to use the simple to confound the wise (1 Corinthians 1:27). By observing something as humble as salt, we know that a little can go a long way in making a profound impact on the lives of others. We do not have to wonder about what profound things we can say. When we walk in the Word and pray to our Father in heaven, we can have confidence in the words He can use to suppress the bad and bring out the good.

What steps can I take today to be the right pinch of salt, balancing conversations to point upward toward Christ and eternal things and outward for the good and building up of others?

Tune in next week for more controversial statements like — pineapple on pizza is delicious! (I kid, I kid).

Ashlie Miller enjoys her salty watermelons on the back porch of her Concord home with her husband and 5 children. You can contact her at mrs.ashliemiller@gmail.com to let her know if you prefer your watermelon with or without salt.