August 24, 2022
Matthew 5:13-16: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its savor, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.
14You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Tabitha traveled in June to a remote place where Himalayan rock salt is mined. She went to this vendor, who was scooping salt into bags for people to purchase. A whole bag contained a mixture of very fine salt to very large pieces of rock salt crystals. She walked up and asked how much a medium-sized rock of salt would cost. The vendor said, “It is selling for $2,000.” She was shocked. “How could it be so expensive?” she asked. The man said, “Let me show you something.” He pulled out his phone and started playing a video recording of a factory at the site of the salt mine at night. Since it was so remote, it was very dark. The camera was panned out a short distance from the mining caves, pointed toward their entrances. Tabitha could see a bright glow illuminating the cave entrances all throughout the region, like huge fireflies. The man said, “When I was there, the air was cold; I ventured toward the glowing caves and felt such a warmth radiating from them, as if they were ovens of fire.” “How and why? Where was the light and warmth coming from?” Tabitha asked. “They have self-generating ‘microwaves’ inside of them,” he replied. “The factory workers have installed these microwaves, which are powered by the mineral content. All they need is to be activated with the push of buttons.” Suddenly, Tabitha understood why the rocks were so valuable. The larger the rock, the more heat and light it would generate, seemingly endlessly, without any fuel needed.
Tabitha later pondered this marvelous parable of the Christian life. She realized that the salt crystals represented various people in the Kingdom of Heaven. The larger the rock, the more expensive it was and the more-valuable. The expense spoke of the level of tribulation and trial that was required for a place of Kingdom prominence, which involved showing forth the glory of the Lamb of God–the light of the world. This included providing warmth in the cold. Where the world is cold and void of love, the warmth of God’s love gives life. The buttons to be pushed to “turn on” this light and warmth speak of Christians walking in step with the Spirit, who is the witness to the power and love of Jesus radiating from the regenerated heart. The warmth of the church in the world symbolizes the warmth of the glory of Jesus.
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
“Since we live by the Spirit, let us walk in step with the Spirit” (Gal 5:25).
“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Eph 4:30).
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you” (John 14:26).
As a Himalayan rock lamp, you are already bought with the precious blood of Christ and shining in this dark world; you cannot make yourself more valuable, but you can maximize what God created you to be and shine as brightly as God intended for you. In that sense, you will feel some of the weight of the price Jesus paid for you as He sanctifies you and purifies you and shapes you for His glory to shine brightly (Eph 2:10, John 15:8).
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
6In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in various trials 7so that the proven character of your faith—more precious than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 1:3-7).
“For it [the Kingdom of Heaven] is just like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted them with his possessions. 15To one he gave five talents, to another two talents, and to another one talent—each according to his own ability. And he went on his journey.
16The servant who had received the five talents went at once and put them to work and gained five more. 17Likewise, the one with the two talents gained two more. 18But the servant who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
19After a long time the master of those servants returned to settle accounts with them. 20The servant who had received the five talents came and presented five more. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’
21His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
22The servant who had received the two talents also came and said, ‘Master, you entrusted me with two talents. See, I have gained two more.’
23His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’
24Finally, the servant who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Master, I knew that you are a hard man, reaping where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what belongs to you.’
26‘You wicked, lazy servant!’ replied his master. ‘You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed. 27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received it back with interest.
28Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten talents. 29For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 30And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matt 25:14-30).
*All Scripture is in the BSB (Berean Study Bible) translation unless otherwise noted.
Comments