Topic: Don’t Betray The Salt [Wednesday May 23, 2018]
Text: Mark 9:42-50 (KJV)
Key Verse: “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace one with another” (Mark 9:50).
MESSAGE:
The expression “betray the salt” means to betray one’s master or someone who one owes loyalty and devotion. Leonardo da Vanci, a leading artist and intellectual of the Italian Renaisance, in his very popular painting of the Last Supper, depicts Judas Iscariot in the act of tipping over the saltshaker, thus identifying himself symbolically as the one who would betray his Master.
In our passage today, Jesus sets before His disciples the one supreme goal which they must pursue in life and which is worthy of any sacrifice. This goal is to please the Lord in all things. The Christian is to live in such a way that his life does not betrays his goal. He must ensure that his life, what he does, the example he gives, and so on do not make other people, especially the weak in faith, to stumble. Whatever in the Christian that can become an occasion to sin must be taken away, no matter how precious and valuable it is. Being true and faithful to the Master must be valued above every other convenience, ease, comfort or pleasure. Sin must not be tolerated for whatsoever reason.
As salt purifies, preserves and penetrates, so ought the Christian to be in his society. When the life of a Christian runs contrary to the expected standard and his examples constitute a stumbling block to the faith of others, thus causing them to fall into sin, then he would be said to be betraying the salt. This kind of life has grievous consequences.
Having been called to be Christians and salt in the world, we must do everything to avoid betraying our calling. The call to live like and follow the Master should be valued above every other things will cause us to offend and sin, then we must do away with them. Pleasing God should be priced far above any other and every other consideration.
Thought For The Day: Following the Lord means being loyal to Him.
Bible Reading in One Year: 2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21-22; Psalm 30
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.