APAD: The salt of the earth

Meaning:

   People who are described as 'the salt of the earth' are those who are

   considered to be of great worth and reliability.

 

Background:

   The phrase 'the salt of the earth' derives from the Bible, Matthew 5:13 (King

   James Version):

 

     Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour,

     wherewith shall it be salted? It is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be

     cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

 

   The phrase 'The salt of the earth' - meaning and origin. The positivity

   towards salt in this phrase conflicts with many other uses of the word salt,

   which has also been used express negative concepts; for example, in the

   Middle Ages, salt was spread on land to poison it, as a punishment to

   landowners who had transgressed against society in some way.

 

   It seems that the 'excellent' meaning in 'the salt of the earth' was coined

   in reference to the value of salt. This is reflected in other old phrases

   too, for example, the aristocratic and powerful of the earth were 'above the

   salt' and valued workers were 'worth their salt'.

 

   ...

 

- www.phrases.org.uk

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Many years ago, I heard from the Canadian pastor Mark Hughes: "You are the light

of the world; you are the salt of the earth" in one of his online sermons. The

Bible passage seems to suggest those who are 'the salt of the earth' show strong

Christian values. They are not doormats and their goodness has an edge.