Good day dear friends.
The report is that our sister Lee Sowell is in good spirits and recovering well from emergency knee surgery at CTMC (Rm 326). Pray for her complete recovery.
We spoke on "Being a Radioactive Christian" yesterday in terms of radiating our faith to others. Now more than ever the world has shown that folks are looking for spiritual answers except they're going in the wrong direction. Many are choosing Eastern religions, some are going to the occult, some to Satanism, others to things that offer spiritual "answers." While we as Christians respect their right to choose, we also have something to share given the right opportunity and setting. And the best way is simply by living out our faith in an attractive way.
Here is our study guide for today:
Monday: For today read the passage in Matthew from The Sermon on the Mount that talks about us being “salt” and “light.” (Matthew 5:13-16). What are your thoughts on what Jesus meant about our being both of these things? List as many uses of salt as you can. List as many uses for light as you can. Now apply these to your spiritual life.
13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14 "You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Salt. Yesterday our children's ministry coordinator shared the children's sermon and she played a match game. Using the kids' imaginations she asked to think of something that "went" with whatever she would show. She pulled out a jar of peanut butter and of course several yelled out "jelly!" The next item was a Morton's salt container and the first little boy closest to her yelled, "pepper!" What household in our country doesn't have one of those salt containers? Yes, there are some where medical reasons have prompted doctors to tell so many of us no more salt and so there are no salt shakers on our tables. Most will say, "there's enough salt in foods, especially processed food, just enjoy that." If you've ever cooked a meal and have forgotten the salt you know that you might as well toss out the meal because sprinkling salt on a meal that should have had salt is not the same thing. I remember my first attempt to impress my bride I made supper and I thought I would show her how good I could make carne guisada and I put in the comino (cumin), pepper, onion, some garlic. And I forgot the salt. Wrong.
Jesus spoke to a crowd that knew the purposes of salt with flavor being one of them. A Christian who lives her/his life in a positive manner brings flavor to life. There is joy and excitement and folks around the Christian are usually blessed. Jesus also spoke to a crowd that knew salt was the preservative of the day. Until refrigeration became a household item, meats and other things were coated with salt to preserve those food stuffs until they could be cooked. A Christian grounded in his/her faith lives their life in a way that preserves the goodness of Christ's teachings; others will want to know more. And lastly, salt was used as insulation. Using the ovens of the day salt was poured around the oven to help make the heat uniform and allow for breads and other items baked in the oven to cook better. Once the salt lost its purpose it was tossed out. Our faith can be the proper insulation to situations where without it we would lose hope or perish.
Light? Light brings vision and clarity in situations where it is needed. Without light we can't see what we're doing and we may lose our way.
How can you apply these to your daily life? Being a radiant Christian is a positive thing. If we share Christ's love with others just by our living we don't need words. But we should be open to opportunities where we could share a word of hope or peace and offer words of invitation to folks that we know need them.
Reflect on your life and how best you can be salt and light to others.
PRAYER: Lord, please share with me today how I can best serve You. Let me be truly salt and light to a world needing flavor and direction. I pray in Christ Jesus' name. Amen.
Have a great and blessed day!
e.v.
