Salt of the earth
Reference to a lack of unity
[edit]Christ's admonition suggested there was a lack of unity among His followers
[edit]"The great and fundamental teachings of Bahá'u'lláh are the oneness of God and unity of mankind. This is the bond of union among Bahá'ís all over the world. They become united among themselves, then unite others. It is impossible to unite unless united. Christ said, "Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?" This proves there were dissensions and lack of unity among His followers. Hence His admonition to unity of action."
Christ's saying was to urge universal harmony among the friends of God
[edit]"The most pressing need today is harmony and union among the friends of God. Strive your utmost for this. Not until this intimate unity is realized can universal harmony be established. Therein lies the reason of Christ's saying: "Ye are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted." Exert ye a great deal of effort on this momentous question."
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. 10, issue 7, p. 137)
Christ's saying was to establish unity among the friends
[edit]"Now, we observe that strangeness, lack of unity and the utmost difference exists among the friends and the maid-servants of the Merciful. Under such a condition, how can they arise to guide the people of the world and establish union and harmony between the nations of the earth? His Highness Christ, addressing His disciples, said: “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt hath lost its savour, wherewith shall it be salted?”"
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. 2, issue 4, p. 6)
Reference to capacity
[edit]The salt is but a little part of the whole (those with capacity and "chosen" and not merely "called")
[edit]"Thy letter was received. Thou hast spoken concerning thy lack of ability and capacity. Wert thou without ability and capacity, thou wouldst not have advanced toward the Kingdom of ABHA.
"Consider how there are thousands of heedless souls who are asleep, while there is one who is conscious and awake! Even as His Holiness Christ has said, the friends of God are the salt of the earth, and the salt is but a little part of the whole. Undoubtedly the friends of God have been endowed with ability and capacity, on which account this became of the “chosen” and not of the “called.”"
The people in general are asleep but those thinking of God are the salt of earth
[edit]"The people in general are all asleep; they are all inadvertent; they are all slumbering, because their thoughts are confined to materialism; they are not at all thoughtful of God's thoughts except you, who are thinking of God. Verily, you are the spirit of the world! You are the cause of the light of the world! You are the salt of the earth!"
- ('Abdu'l-Bahá, Star of the West, vol. 10, issue 13, p. 243)