Day 4: The Danger of the Holy Huddle

Reading: Matthew 5:13-16 

Salt and Light

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.

Reading: Acts 1:8

8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

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Devotional: 
Jesus described his people as salt and light, neither of which does any good when kept contained. Salt sitting in a shaker does not preserve anything. Light hidden under a bowl illuminates nothing. The mission Jesus gave his followers was never meant to stay inside the walls of a gathering. It was meant to move outward, person to person, life to life. When the church turns inward and becomes more concerned with protecting its own culture than reaching the people outside it, mission creep has already done its damage. The good news is only good news if it actually travels to people who need it.

In your own life, has your faith become more of a personal comfort than an outward mission? What does it look like for you specifically to be salt and light in the places you already occupy?

Choose one environment you are already in this week, whether at work, in your neighborhood, or in your family, and look for one intentional way to let your faith show up there in a tangible way.