SETX Abstinence Ministry. Armed and Virtuous: More Than Just a Flavor Enhancer

Do you struggle with providing an abstinence message to your child? Southeast Texas abstinence ministry Armed and Virtuous can help.

Matthew 5: 13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men (NKJV).”

Maybe it isn’t as earth-shaking an idea to you as it is to me, but I couldn’t help but share the new way God gave me of looking at this verse. Throughout my life, when I’ve read, “You are the salt of the earth,” I took it to mean “You are the seasoning in this world. You make this dull world a more palatable place to live. You make this world more exciting and interesting; much like table salt makes a bland dish taste acceptable.” Is that how you’ve always taken it?

But salt is so much more than just a flavor enhancer! For centuries it has been used to preserve food. How? By removing water-the environment for decay, and creating a new enviromnent- a dry and salty one, which is unfit for bacteria to live and grow. Salt does not completely halt decay, but it sure slows it down! In other words, salt is vital to keeping food safe to consume. Salt preservation could be the difference between health and sickness (or even death!)

So, when Jesus calls His people the salt of the earth, He’s declaring how vital we are to the preservation of what is good. We live in a dying world. Our society is riddled with the bacteria of sin, and everything from popular movies, fashion styles, secular music, and commercials expose the evidence of rot and decay. As believers, we’re made of a completely different substance than the world. We have the ability not only to avoid the rot, but we can in turn create a healthy environment! When we stand up for what is right, and expose what is wrong, sin can’t abide in our presence; it’s like we create a healthy “peer pressure.” But if we lose our preserving abilities, by conforming to the world, we fail to fulfill our purpose, and the decay consumes not only the world, but us.

With summer just around the corner, you may feel pressured to wear what’s “in,” even if it causes guys to lust, hang out with people who do drink, date guys who will pressure you for sex, or do whatever it takes not to stick out. I’ve been there, and I remember how cruel the crowd can be. Keep in mind, though, that we’re not supposed to look or act like the world. We’re meant to be different, and it’s a very good thing! We are designed to stand out, to not only oppose what is sinful, but to stand so firmly in our convictions that we preserve a healthy environment all around us. As other Christians see you affecting your corner of the world, they’ll join with you and you’ll become even stronger as a team.

In a world that seeks to destroy, dare to fight against the agents of decay. Accept who you are, and step up to the task God has given you!

Is the pressure to fit in causing you to compromise your standards? Leave us a comment, or email us at requests@armedandvirtuous.org. Our prayer partners would love to support you in prayer.

My name is April M. Anderson, and I’m just a girl with a story. God laid a burden on my heart to pray for my husband when I was in the sixth grade. I prayed and waited for him for six years, dated him for three, and we’ve been married for 15 years. By God’s grace, both my husband and I were virgins on our wedding day and we’ve been living out our “happily ever after” from that day on!

Armed and Virtuous is a Southeast Texas abstinence ministry for young women.

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We all want to be wonderful parents who set a great example for our children, but most of us struggle with the best way to talk with teens about abstinence.