Matthew 5:13
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
2 Chronicles 13:5
Don’t you know that the Lord, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt?
Devotion
In Matthew chapter five, Jesus is declaring that believers in any age under any condition are to be both salt and light in the world. Since the beginning of time, salt has had many uses in the world. It has been used as a cleansing agent to get rid of infection. It has been used as a preservative to keep food from spoiling. It has been used symbolically to signify a permanent agreement. Adding flavor to food is probably the most common use of salt today.
Jesus uses this analogy to communicate that, like salt, His followers are to flavor or influence the world in which they live. As followers of Jesus, we are to exercise godly influence in the world in which we function as God’s representatives. Unfortunately, today many Christians have allowed the world to influence them rather than them influencing the world. Jesus warns that if we lose our saltiness (influence), we will be of no good for the kingdom of Heaven here on earth.
Godly character is so important today. The culture takes special notice when a high-profile believer is caught up in a moral failure. This reinforces their perception that all Christians are hypocrites and that Christianity is just another useless religion. Now of course no one is perfect! We all struggle with sin and temptation. But we must strive to live our lives in such a way that the unbelieving world observes and wonders why we are so different and why we don’t embrace the world’s values.
More importantly, as Ambassadors for Christ, we ought to reflect Jesus’ character in this world. What does this look like? In John chapter one, we read, “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Grace and Truth! As you read through the Gospels you will discover that Jesus radiated grace and truth. His life was marked by grace and truth. If we are to be salt, our lives must make known the grace and truth of Jesus.
Questions to Ponder:
Do you exercise godly influence in your world? Do you reflect the grace and truth of Jesus in your interactions with others? How is God developing your character so that you are more accurately reflecting Jesus in the world?
Prayer Points
- Praise the Lord for being fully God and fully man. Praise Him for being the Living Word who dwelled among us. Worship Him for be the One and Only True God.
- Repent of any sin you become aware of and receive His everlasting forgiveness.
- Thank the Lord for His Holy Spirit that dwells inside of you. Ask Him to fill You. Thank Him for saving, loving, helping and strengthening you. Thank Him for our Church Family at Oak Pointe, thank Him for our leaders and all those serving in and outside of the 4 walls.
- Ask the Lord to grant You power to reveal Jesus Christ in and through your life today in both demonstration and words. Ask Him to be glorified and high and lifted up.
Suggested Prayer
Holy Father, I declare that You are perfect, loving, patient, kind, powerful, forgiving, wise, and merciful. Lord, I ask that You speak in and through me today. As I seek You, I ask that I listen and obey Your leading. Father, You bless me with endless opportunities all throughout the day and I pray that You would help me genuinely make You known to those around me. Help me to see those opportunities and I ask that I would be compelled by Your love. Make me salty Lord for Your kingdom’s sake. In the Name of Jesus Christ, I ask these things. Amen.