"Such food makes me ill."  

Job replies to Eliphaz, "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill." ( Job 6.7)  There are two aspects of palatability that affect Christians and their relationship with the world.

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5.6) A few verses later (5.13) He stated emphatically, "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 man."

With this sermon Jesus emphasized the two aspects of palatability that make a person either worthwhile as a child of God, or worthless to the kingdom. The pivot point is the individual's appetite. I consider myself somewhat an expert in appetites...I've always had a great appreciation for good food. However, the older I get the more difficult it is to carry 275-290 lbs on my frame (about 6'5"), even 'working out,' so I'm now entertaining the possibility of refining and restricting some of my cuisine.

"Hunger and thirst after righteousness..." hungry and thirsty for right things, doing things right. Righteousness and justice are cause and effect. Everyone seems to want 'justice' but far fewer want to do 'righteousness.' Righteousness is the cause and justice is the effect. If we do 'righteous' we bring 'justice.'

Jesus said if we want to be "blessed" we will "hunger and thirst for righteousness..." In hungering and thirsting, or as the psalmist said, "panting after..." or longing for right attitudes, right living, right relationships, right motivations, we will be filled with GOOD stuff! The effect of righteousness in our lives will be 'salt and light' to the world!

Is it any wonder that the world doesn't seem to want what most 'christianity' has to offer? It doesn't set well on the palate. It doesn't satisfy hunger. It doesn't slake thirst. It doesn't season situations. It sours, angers, chastises, discourages.

Job was right! The world at large is in agreement with Job. "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? I refuse to touch it; such food makes me ill." It could be easily phrased as 'most christianity seen today is as tasteless as food eaten without salt, or as flavorless as the white of an egg! I refuse to touch it! Such food makes me ill!!'

Let's change our appetites and by so doing, whet an appetite for the world to want what we now have!