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. 14 “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13 – 16)
“The world is a mess.” How often have you heard that statement? You could almost excuse a Christian for having as little as possible to do with the world, right? After all, policy makers, schools, businesses and sometimes even religious institutions don’t share our value system; and it appears that people are getting meaner. Let’s examine what the Bible has to say about engaging or not engaging with the world.
The passage above from Matthew 5 will serve as our reference for discussion over the next three days. Then, when we are done with this Group Bible Study we will spend the next 6 weeks exploring the value we bring to A World in Need by practicing Spiritual Disciplines. Today, we will discuss salt and tomorrow we will discuss light.
Please set aside 15 minutes without distraction. If possible, find a place that you can escape to daily and start by asking God to guide you. Read the passage above and consider the questions below.
Questions:
- Salt? Really? But we know Jesus doesn’t make mistakes, so why does he compare Christians to salt?
- In comparing Christians to salt, Jesus shines a light on how they are impacting the world. In your sphere of influence, how do you act like salt?
Sharing your thoughts could be a big help to someone else. Please leave a comment on the blog.