Matthew 5:13-16 NASB
¹³You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
¹⁴You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; ¹⁵nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
¹⁶Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Devotional
We must live a life that is true to our calling, a life that spreads blessing.
The beginning of the Sermon on the Mount shows that Jesus uses very different standards from those prevailing in the world. He considers lucky those who are usually pitied.
▪︎ Don’t you become eccentric if you adopt the vision of Jesus?
▪︎ Are you still good for the world we live in?
▪︎ Isn’t the one who follows Jesus, out of the ordinary existence on earth?
There is no reason to give in to these negative feelings about ourselves.
On the contrary, Jesus tells us that as His followers we are indispensable to the world.
“You are the salt of the earth,” He says (Matthew 5:13).
Salt is very common. It doesn’t cost much everywhere. But it is necessary to give flavor to what is bland, and especially as a means of keeping from spoiling.
For example, salting all kinds of vegetables used to be the only way to preserve them for a longer period of time.
Christians represent a world in which honesty, temperance, respect, and faithfulness prevail. This influence is of the utmost importance for our existence on earth. Otherwise, our society will become a paragon of degeneration.
Christians are the salt that must keep the world livable or they are nothing, Jesus says in Matthew 5:13.
Of course He also says that to exhort us.
We must not withdraw ourselves from this world.
Only if we invest ourselves can we make an impact without convulsion (cf. John 17:14-19; 20:21; Mark 16:15).
“You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14,15; Cf. John 8:12).
That is quite something!
Without the congregation of Jesus there would only be darkness.
But light in itself is nothing special. It doesn’t have to display itself. It’s just there. It dispels a little darkness. Like the salt, it has a serving function. People can find their way that way. They do not give us the credit for that, but God (Matthew 5:16; Cf. 1 Peter 2:11,12).
“Let your light shine,” says Jesus (cf. Ephesians 5:8,9; 1 Thessalonians 5:5).
We are not there for ourselves, but for the world.
Question
▪︎ How can you live a life that wards off decay, imparts flavor, and diffuses light? (Compare Ephesians 5:18.)
Prayer suggestions
▪︎ Ask the Lord to fill you with His Spirit.
You need that in order for your life to be preserving and flavorful, and to spread His light.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
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