When Jesus told His disciples that they were the salt of the earth He meant it  both figuratively and literally.  Within our bodies are electrolytes – minerals (sodium, chloride, etc.) that are essential for life… without them, our heart, nerves, and muscles would malfunction.    “To be the salt of the earth” defined is a person that is considered  a representative of the best elements of society.  It’s someone chosen and capable of effectively demonstrating what we stand for.   We all have been called to be the salt of the earth…chosen by God to represent Him and the Gospel Message to the world.