Devotion:
Read Matthew 5:13-16.
Jesus uses two common elements of this world to teach his followers that we are to make a difference in the world around us. Light and salt were part of the everyday life of the people to whom he was speaking. They immediately connected with what he was trying to communicate. Preachers and teachers of the Bible are constantly looking for those common elements of everyday life to use as a way to help people understand the teachings of Jesus and all of the Scriptures.
If Jesus were teaching in a similar situation today, what might he use? One of the first things that come to my mind is a GPS. “You are the ‘Google Maps’ of the world,” he might say. As you stay connected to the Holy Spirit each day, you can be a guide to help those around you navigate their life. Or maybe he would say “You are the spices of the world. As you experience my joy more and more fully, you become the spice of life for people who are living a dull and dreary existence.” Of course, related to another teaching of Jesus from the Gospel of John would be something like this: “You are the water of life. Drink from the water that I give you and you will become a source of water for thirsty people you meet every day.”
What common elements of life in our day and time come to your mind that could be helpful in explaining our life in Christ? If you come up with any, be sure and give them to your preacher!
Personal Worship Option:
Cesareo Gabarain wrote a song in 1979 with this as the first verse:
“You are the seed that will grow a new sprout; you’re a star that will shine in the night;
you are the yeast and a small grain of salt, a beacon to glow in the dark.
You are the dawn that will bring a new day; you’re the wheat that will bear golden grain;
you are a sting and a soft, gentle touch, my witnesses wher-e’er you go.”
Copyright 1989 The United Methodist Hymnal
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