Salt and light
by Tatiana Overduin
Click here to download your printable verse to carry with you today.
You are the salt of the earth … You are the light of the world (Matthew 5:13a,14a).
Read Matthew 5:11–16
Today’s Bible reading begins with an antithesis: a blessing and a warning. Verse 11, as taught by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, informs us that we are blessed when we are insulted, blessed when we are persecuted, and blessed when we are falsely accused. How contrasting is this message to what our sinful self and the world purport? Great is our reward in heaven: for the prophets endured the same! This eschatological blessing is our encouragement when we live as ‘salt and light’ in a world of ‘distaste and darkness’.
Salt can lose its saltiness when dissolved or heat-affected. So, we are informed not to water down the gospel message just so it – and we – can fit in with the world’s message. There is no need to point out any specific examples here, as you are likely aware of them through the media, educational institutions, places of employment, our families and our church communities. How much do we turn down the heat of God’s (sometimes unpalatable) message to fit the world’s standards? Light is dimmed when hidden. What choices do we make when presented with an opportunity to shine the gospel message to others? How brightly do we shine in the darkness? How far do we adapt and change God’s word to live in, yet not of, this world?
Today’s text warns us that we will endure difficult situations for Jesus’ sake. But, at the same time, we are also encouraged that this work is blessed, and we are called not to dissolve or hold back the saving power of the gospel. Jesus is there with us, for he has endured it first on the cross.
This eschatological message to us today (meaning that it points to End Times) teaches us to continue trusting in God and being courageous during those difficult times of insults and persecution. As Christians, we are called to follow Jesus and continue to be witnesses for God’s ‘salt and light’ working in and through our lives, through God’s message of salvation through Christ Jesus. Amen.
Dear Jesus, thank you for being the flavour and light in our lives. Holy Spirit, instil in us an unshakable trust and an ever-burning flame within our hearts, as we live lives that witness to your word. We thank you, Heavenly Father, for giving us your Son, our friend and Saviour. Amen.
Tatiana is married to Jim, and they live at Largs North, a seaside location in Adelaide. They have two adult children and six grandchildren. This year, Tatiana looks forward to spending more time building her art therapy/knitting business, writing, gardening and enjoying an early morning beach walk. Tatiana gained a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Australian Lutheran College in 1996. Both Tatiana and Jim attend worship at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Adelaide.
- Click here to read previous devotions.
- We are also posting them on LCA Facebook, making it easy for you to share them with family and friends.
- Sign up to receive Daily Devotion in your inbox every morning. If you’re already doing that, please encourage others to sign up. Click here for the link.
