Popcorn Evangelists, One Pop At A Time!

Last night the Vineyard Church of Wheeling handed out over five hundred free bags of fresh popped and salted popcorn.  As I stood there with the team, the light in the popcorn popper stood in stark contrast to the faltering light of the evening sky and I was reminded of Jesus' words to his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth...".  I  wondered how much popcorn they had provided to movie watchers down by the Ohio River in Wheeling.  They figured they had been doing this for seven years and with several Friday nights, they could have served tens of thousands of these treats to the young and the young at heart. 

Salt on popcorn is one of the 14,000 uses according to the National Salt Institute.  In ancient times Roman soldiers were paid with salt, called the salarium argentum.  It was used as an exchange like money for slaves and the phrase, "not worth their salt" comes from this era.  Jesus tells us salt which loses it flavor is worthless, but salt cannot lose its flavor except by dilution.  A teaspoon of salt in a glass of water is far saltier than in a swimming pool.  A small amount of salt is used in cooking to make sweet things sweeter and bitter foods better to the taste.  Was Jesus talking about salt as a means of flavoring or a means of exchange between people?  Perhaps we can be both.  Each bag said, "God loves you" and the smiles of the popcorn evangelists touched thousands of people.  People stood in line to get a taste of the buttery and salty confection and with a "Thank You" they would trail off to watch the movies or cartoons but the consistent prescence of these popcorn evangelists year after year offered Wheeling residents a picture of those words, "You are the salt of the earth!" 

Popcorn can be a reminder to the fruit Jesus was looking for from his disciples.  Popcorn will generally expand to 35% of its original size and since Jesus told us we are to be fruitful, these popcorn evangelist have sowed seeds across the Wheeling waterfront in the hope it will bear much fruit.   Salt, oil, popcorn kernels and heat make a great treat and a great illustration of another statement Jesus made:

"I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth.  Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples: baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you. And I will be with you always, to the end of the age."(GNT)