Standing through the storm

Today, as I walked along the beach, breathing in cool salt air, I was reminded of the little bee I found on that same beach not so long ago. I remember being on auto pilot at the time, my body operating automatically, one foot moving in front of the other whilst my mind was a million miles away.

The chances of me spotting a single struggling bee on the wide expanse of sand in front of me was really remote, and realizing that fact now, as I reflect on it, makes the significance of the encounter stand out even more.

I saw her struggling to move, a little black dot that did not belong on the white canvas that stretched below and beyond her.  She was in obvious distress, seemingly unable to fly, as if something was weighing her down. I was immediately drawn to her and picked her up. In her distress she did not even attempt to sting me. I had no idea what to do to help but taking her away from the water, which clearly wasn't were she was supposed to be, seemed to me the only action I could take to help her survive.

So I found a flowering bush on the shore and placed her there. All I could hope for was that the nectar that the flowers would provide, would strengthen her and that being in an environment that was kind and familiar to her, would help her heal.

I will never know what happened to that little bee after I walked away but somehow, our encounter has remained in the back of my mind and I've often wondered what I was meant to take from it.

As I have learnt to listen and be alert to the way the Lord speaks to me, I have developed the habit of keeping notes or taking photos whenever I sense something is important. Today I am so glad I took photos of her on that beach, as I sense the following might be what I am supposed to learn from our encounter.

I decided to take a closer look at what my camera captured that morning. Zooming in on her little body, I discovered what looked like salt crystals on her back and legs. I do not remember seeing that with the naked eye but on the photos, it is unmistakable. Can it be that she was weighed down by the salt crystals, being in the wrong place with salt filled sea spray landing on her, she was incapacitated to such an extent that she could not take off again?

That brought me to the theme of salt. I sensed that I might have discovered the puzzle pieces of a story coming together and I decided to explore this avenue.

Salt has so many connotations. The saying goes that lasting relationships involve eating a few bags of salt together, some people are referred to as the salt of the earth, we are meant to take certain things with a pinch of salt. I found myself wondering what the Bible says about salt?

As I dug deeper, I discovered that salt is used many times, both in the Old and New Testaments, and just as diversely as the above examples. I discovered that many of the metaphors we use on a daily basis actually have Biblical roots, Matthew 5:13 e.g. says: "You are the salt of the earth...".

Lot's wife was turned into a salt pillar after she disobeyed the orders given to her, sacrifices of old were to be seasoned with salt, fruitful lands were turned into a salty waste - there are many more examples.

How then, was I to understand and apply this obvious reference to salt after my encounter on the beach?

I continued my quest by directing my thoughts to events that happened in my life recently. Was there a connection to be made? And if I found such a connection, what could I measure it by so that I would have some certainty that I was hearing what I am supposed to hear?

As I pondered the salt connection, the sounds of Lauren Daigle's beautiful voice filled my mind:

'For you are salt and light
You are love's great height
You are deep and wide
A consuming fire'

She sings this with such conviction, the words cannot but remain with you!

Salt flavours, salt preserves. The Lord says we are to be the salt of the earth and we should not loose our flavour, salt without flavour is useless.

Could it be that the little bee I found was a reminder of a very specific message. A message so profound that it follows the beatitudes written in Matthew 5, furthermore instructing those who choose to seek the blessings described in the famous Sermon on the Mount. You are the salt, you are the light of the world - a world where darkness seeks to infiltrate every corner.

Can it be that if we ever find ourselves standing face to face with darkness and salt that has lost it's flavour - that we are to hold on to the instructions above. Are we to cling to the words of the Beatitudes: 'Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, Blessed are the meek, Blessed are poor in spirit'. Blessed are you who seek these blessings and choose to be salt and light.

Stand on the instructions, believe the promises.

This past week a dear friend and her family came face to face with a darkness that we all pray will not touch our families. A darkness that was out to steal and destroy. A darkness that knew little mercy. A darkness that had lost its salty taste a long time ago. For those of us living in South Africa, it is a darkness that seems to lurk around every corner, striking home after home, friend after friend.

My own children have been visited in their home by that very same darkness. Men wielding knives, intruding, destroying, creating havoc in the lives and homes of the families they attack.

I witnessed my friend standing tall, exuding light and carrying her salt in the midst of the storm that engulfed them, just as that little bee did. She stood strong and called on the Lord in their time of need, refusing to allow the enemy to rob or steal what is truly important. Earthly things might have been taken and physical hurt inflicted, but things can be replaced and bodies can heal.

To hear her proclaim her faith and call on the Lord at a time when many would be defeated, was humbling. It has had a profound impact on me. I am grateful with her for grace and mercy that is fresh every day. I am grateful for friends in my life who are salt of the earth people. I am grateful that we don't fight this fight alone. I am grateful that my friend and her family can celebrate being alive, knowing that physical wounds will heal and bad memories will fade.

I can't help thinking back to our recent visit to Israel. And specifically to the day that we discovered for ourselves that whilst floating in the Dead Sea, try as you may, you will not sink. A body of water, filled with salt. You can stay afloat, but you will not sink. There has to be a lesson there.

I am grateful for a little bee, who bravely carried her very important message. I think I got it.

"For everyone will be seasoned with fire, and every sacrifice will be seasoned with salt. Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavour, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another."

- Mark 9:49 NKJV