What Jesus Did! 'Salt!' — Matthew 5:13

Monday, February 15, 2021

[Jesus continued:] "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."
— Matthew 5:13 NLT

Key Thought

How does salt become "unsalty"? That's a logical question for folks who get their salt out of saltshakers and primarily use it for seasoning. In Jesus' day, salt was also an essential preservative. If salt were to lose its saltiness, then it would be good only to act as weed killer on the path where people frequently walked. In much the same way, the disciple who does not live by Kingdom-family values will lose his or her ability to influence and preserve the culture. In other words, Jesus was not interested in getting a group together just to have club meetings. He was calling disciples so that the righteousness, justice, and compassion of God could be shared and modeled to the world. If his disciples were to lose those things, then of what good and positive influence could they be?

Today's Prayer

Holy and Righteous God, I want to share your grace and bring your deliverance and joy to my friends, co-workers, and neighbors. Please help my influence in each of these places to be a blessing and a positive influence. Please forgive me for the times I have not been a preserving, redeeming, and saving influence to those around me. In the name of Jesus who has saved me. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • Colossians 4:5-6
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:12
  • Galatians 6:10

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Illustration

Illustration of Matthew 5:13 NLT — [Jesus continued:] "You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless."

About This Devotional

What Jesus Did! is a series of one-year devotional guides through each gospel, using one short scripture passage each day and following the Gospel in sequential order. Each devotional consists of a scripture passage and a reflection and a prayer which open up the day's scripture and show how it challenges you to live for Jesus.

What Jesus Did! is written by Phil Ware and is available in book form.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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