Jesus said in Matthew 5:13, “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (NKJV).

Before refrigeration, salt was used to keep meat from spoiling. But being salt isn’t always easy, especially when we don’t immediately see the preserving, purifying effect we’d hope for.

As a woman, I have been given a unique position, having had a long career as a federal criminal investigator employed as a Postal Inspector for the U.S. Postal service. My primary mission is to protect the U.S. Postal Service, its employees, and its customers from criminal attack, and protect the nation’s mail system from criminal misuse.

I have investigated a variety of crimes, including mail theft, identity theft, robberies, burglaries, drugs, bombs, biological weapons, and workplace violence. However, the incident that had the most profound impact on me as a Christian was an investigation in which I was essentially a witness. This incident occurred several years ago, but stands fresh in my memory.

One day, I had the opportunity to share the gospel with a co-worker. I spoke to him about God’s love, mercy, and forgiveness and the need for him to repent and turn from his sins. Sadly, although he acknowledged that he needed Jesus, he felt unworthy, stopping short of asking Christ into his life.

It was shortly after this conversation that a terrible story made national news. A law enforcement officer (from another agency) killed his family before killing himself. But later that same day, tragedy would strike closer to home. This time, it was at my postal office, in my parking lot, and now it was my friend, with whom I shared the gospel, that was lying there in front me with a self-inflicted bullet in his brain.

I was devastated. I looked upon his lifeless body and my mind was flooded with questions. Had he listened to what I shared? Was I “salt” for my co-worker? Or had my salt lost its flavor? Honestly, I was burdened by these questions and the possibility that I had failed somehow, until I took this to the Lord in prayer and spent time in God’s Word. I read, “So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it” (Isaiah 55:11 NKJV).

I realized that the truth of Christ does not rise or fall upon my claims, but on Jesus Himself. Satan would like to use my co-worker’s suicide to convince me that I was an ineffective Christian, so I may as well give up and isolate myself in a Christian bubble.

But God has not called me to turn away from the world, but to be salt in the world. We cannot bring about change in any person. Only God can do that miracle. We are merely vessels used by God to bring about change, and He will bring about the change in His way and in His time.

I don’t know what impact God’s Word spoken through me may have had on my co-worker, his family, or others he came into contact with. I don’t know what his thoughts were just before he pulled that trigger. However, I do know that God’s Word does not return void, and I know that as long as I remain obedient to God, my salt will retain its flavor.