Salting the Oats

You’ve heard the saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” (Chuckle) Someone added, “But you CAN salt the oats.” (Hahaha!) Applied to people the saying suggests that a person might be presented a good choice, yet refuse it. And yet, there are ways to help them make that choice (salting the oats).

Many churches have used this strategy to draw people in. They recognize the declining interest in church and respond by adding salt to the oats. In other words, they manipulate people by attempting to create a thirst for church. That thirst is created through playful preaching, music ministries, service programs, children’s programs, pageants, plays, block parties, family activities and all kinds of feedings.

The salt in the oats creates thirst in the horse, but it is manufactured. The horse is manipulated in a way that will produce a desired behavior. Take away the salt and you’re back where you started...a horse that won’t drink, not because he’s stubborn, but because he not thirsty.

Applied to churches, it is a kind of bait-and-switch manipulation. It is as if a small committee met in a dimly lit room and worked out an ingenious plan: “We’ll offer them all the things that appeal to them. Then, when we’ve got them all together, we’ll give them Jesus!” It is a manipulation, false advertising.

Jesus rebuked a crowd of people who were following Him for food (John 6). He knew that they were following their stomachs. They stopped following Jesus when the gravy train stopped. Why? Because there was no genuine love for Jesus; no genuine faith in Him and His word. Jesus showed that by removing false incentives a person’s faith would be revealed.

In and of themselves, made-up ministries and programs and activities are fine. Yet, Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.” (John 12:32) Made-up ministries and programs and activities do not produce faith. Remove the incentive and people return to the way they were.

My mind keeps returning to the crowd of followers in John 6. Jesus taught the people and, out of compassion he fed the people. Yet, Jesus knew their hearts. So, through His teaching He placed them at a figurative “Y” in the road. He confronted them with the truth of their desire by placing in front of them true food, His body, and true drink, His blood. He was using a figure of speech to refer to spiritual food, but the people did not understand and were repulsed.

Jesus offered true spiritual food. 

The crowd was only interested in belly-food.

Jesus turned to His disciples and asked, “You do not want to go away also, do you?” Jesus was not good at marketing. He practically invited them to leave! And yet, He forced His disciples to face the same “Y” in the road. His question was a faith question: “Are you hungry like all the rest? Will you follow only if I keep providing belly-food? Or, are you spiritually hungry?”

Will you follow only if…

• ...there is a youth/women’s/men’s ministry?
• ...there is a Christmas/Easter extravaganza?
• ...there is an exciting music ministry (band)?
• ...there is an eloquent, humorous speaker?

We are not in the business of filling our church pews just to create the illusion of faith. Rather, we must lift up Jesus, our crucified Christ, our risen Savior, our King eternal.

Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself.”

Reflecting on your life, what are you lifting up???

Mark Stinnett

November 13, 2022