Spicy Wisdom for Wednesday!

The information came from an advertisement for McCormick spices.  "The Life of Spice" it said, catching my eye.  Reading the list, I found the life expectancy for ground spices was 2-3 years.  Whole spices can make it 3-4 years.  Put them together in a seasoning blend, and it cuts the life to 1-2 years.  Herbs can make it 1-3 years and extracts up to 4 years (except, it noted, for pure vanilla, which lasts indefinitely).

As I thought about the spices in the little rotating "Lazy Susan" in my cupboard, I could without a doubt make the call many of them were far past their intended life.  One clue is some of them still have a price stamped on them.  [Remember pre-scanner days when the prices actually had to be placed on each item?]

My guess is, many of them have lost their flavor.  At best, the flavor would be there, but not very potent.  Perhaps it is time to take inventory and update my collection, getting rid of the old, and replacing with new, as needed. 

There is a passage in the Bible where Jesus told His followers they were the "salt of the earth".  He went on to suggest salt sometimes loses its saltiness, making it suitable only for being thrown out or trampled by men. 

Amazingly, it only takes a small amount of salt to add flavor to food.  Likewise, as the "salt of the earth", Christians don't have to be the majority to make a difference.  The important thing is to use your "flavor" on a regular basis, so its effectiveness doesn't wear out. 

How is your flavor these days?  Are you out there making a difference in your world?