THE ART OF INFLUENCE
the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” (Matt. 5:13)
In the Scripture above, Jesus uses two metaphors to describe the influence that Christians have—salt and light. Both of these natural elements have amazing qualities that influence their environments. We can learn a lot about how we can influence the people around us by understanding their properties. Let’s start with salt.
Salt influences everything it touches. If you put salt on a wound, it burns but also heals. If you put salt on food, it brings out the flavor of the food. Salt has so many uses. Reader’s Digest has an article entitled “60+ Ways to Use Salt” by Trish Barber.^13 I picked out a few that can teach us something about how we use our influence to live in relationship with those around us:
- Hold artificial flowers in place. Fill a vase or container with salt, add a little cold water, and arrange your artificial flowers. The salt will solidify , and the flowers will stay put.
- Eases fireplace cleanup. When you’re ready to turn in for the night but the fire is still glowing in the hearth, douse the flames with salt. The fire will burn out more quickly, so you’ll wind up with less soot than if you let it smolder. Cleanup is easier, too, because the salt helps the ashes and residue gather into easy sweepings.
- Restores sponges. Hand sponges and mop sponges usually get grungy beyond use long before they are really worn out. To restore sponges to a pristine state, soak them overnight in a solution of about ¼ cup salt per quart (liter) of water.
- Freshens your garbage disposal. Is an unpleasant odor wafting from your garbage disposal? Freshen it up with salt. Just dump in ½ cup salt, run the cold water, and start the disposal. The salt will dislodge stuck waste and neutralize odors.
- Speeds up cooking time. In a hurry? Add a pinch or two of salt to the water you are boiling food in. This makes the water boil at a higher temperature so the food you are cooking will require less time on the stovetop. Keep in mind: salt does not make the water boil faster.
- Revitalizes skin and boosts circulation. Remove dead skin particles and boost your circulation. Either while still in the tub, or just after stepping out of the tub, while your skin is