November 26
Necessity
of Salt
Matthew 5:13
“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.”
Daily Steps
In addition to being the light of the world (Day 331), Christ gives the believer a second, powerful metaphor for our role in the outside world: we are the salt of the earth. This image emphasizes our role in preserving goodness and flavor, while warning against the dangers of losing our distinctiveness through compromise.
The peace in this principle is found in preserving influence:
The Identity of Preservation: Christ declares, You are the salt of the earth. In the ancient world, salt had two primary functions: preservation (slowing decay) and flavoring (enhancing taste). As salt, our presence in the world should slow the moral and ethical decay of society and make life appealing, drawing attention to Christ's truth.
The Danger of Compromise: The severe warning is crucial: if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? This speaks to the danger of Christian compromise—allowing the values of the worldly foolishness (Day 290) to dilute our integrity (Day 294) and purity (Day 291). A compromised faith loses its power to preserve or to flavor.
The Call to Distinctiveness: To maintain our saltiness, we must live a life of resolute obedience (Day 283) and holiness (Day 314). Our function is tied to our spiritual condition. When we remain dedicated to Christ and His Word (Day 269), we maintain our preserving influence and fulfill our divine purposeful action (Day 274).
Your peace is secured by preserving influence. Embrace Christian Living and the World today by examining where your faith might be losing its saltiness. Commit to resisting compromise and living a distinctive life of good deeds (Day 331) that preserves goodness and points the world toward Christ.
Reflective Question
In which specific environment (e.g., your workplace, social media, a casual group) are you most tempted to lose your saltiness by remaining silent or compromising your convictions? What is one way you can be a preserving influence in that setting today?
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, I confess my desire to fit in and the temptation to compromise my faith. I thank You for calling me to be the salt of the earth and a light of the world. I pray for the grace and courage to maintain my saltiness and integrity, even when it is costly. Secure my peace today in this preserving influence, and keep me from being trampled underfoot through compromise. Amen.
