SOAP Devotional 2015-04-27
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
Scripture:
“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)
Observation:
Salt is used to both enhance flavor and to preserve food. We are, accordingly, here to help preserve the world from wasting away and as salt enhances flavors, we are used to enhance the moral fabric of wherever we live. Western salt of today is highly refined, but at that time it was not. Outside influences of moisture and of nature would take salt that remained looking like salt to be completely useless. It was instead used to put down on paths and roads to be walked on. Just being salt is not enough, we need to remain “salty”!
Application:
Henry Maundrell, who, describing the Valley of Salt, wrote:
“Along, on one side of the valley, toward Gibul, there is a small precipice about two men’s lengths, occasioned by the continual taking away of the salt; and, in this, you may see how the veins of it lie. I broke a piece of it, of which that part that was exposed to the rain, sun, and air, though it had the sparks and particles of salt, yet it had perfectly lost its savour: the inner part, which was connected to the rock, retained its savour, as I found by proof.”
It would appear that for us remain to “salty”, we need to stay connected to the rock, Jesus. Our “saltiness” is not something we produce, but rather it is produced by our connection to Christ. In opposition, the world sets out to erode our flavor and to reduce our influence and our effectiveness. Jesus, is our source, we must stay connected.
Prayer:
Lord, I firmly believe that my ability to have positive effect on this world totally depends on my connection to you. Help me to stay connected. And father help me to be an influence on the world on your behalf rather than to be scarred and molded with erosion from the worlds impact on me. Use me for your glory and for the benefit to others.