Devo for 10/20/2024 service- Message by Pastor Clint Sprague

In week 10 of the series “The Way that Leads to Life” the main verse was Matthew 5:13:

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.”

We know that calling someone “Salty” in the secular world is not something to be proud of; it indicates someone is annoying, unpleasant, or critical.  But Jesus calling us to be the “salt of the earth” is indicative of a “charge” to us Christians to do our part and go into the world to preserve the earth from moral decay.   As Pastor Clint said, we are called to “delay the decay,” and we should represent our faith in Jesus by being life-giving and life-preserving.

As I was listening to this message, I began to think of those who were “Salty Christians” in my life.  I have had several men speak into me, which gave me an opportunity to “stop” my spiritual decay.  I wish I could say that I immediately followed the wisdom and advice of each of these men, but I did not.  However, the seeds planted by these men have been watered by God, and I have been healed of my depravity and have grown in my walk with God because these men cared enough about me to be “Salty.”

Just as these men did for me, we need to be “Salty Christians” for others.  The interesting part about the role these men played in my spiritual growth was this: their actions made more of an impact on me than their words.  I know that sounds like a contradiction when I say these men spoke into my life, but hear me out.  Yes, these men came at me with direct and wise words.  But the impact of the words came from their actions.  These men, who were a big part of my life, walked the way they talked.  They showed their faith in God by their works, just as James tells us:

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” James 2:17-18

I learned what it means to let my actions show my faith as a Christ follower by seeing other Men of God walk it out.  (This reminds me of a gospel song that has the line, “Don’t you know that your neighbors think that all Christians act like you.”)  

I encourage everyone to get into the presence of God and ask Him to show you men who have been “Salty Christians” in your lives.  Then pray for those men; pray they receive tenfold back what they have given as a reward for their obedience.

Then look inward.  Are your actions representing your faith as a follower of Christ?  If not, make it right with God.  Then, in full submission, ask Him to put men in your life so you can walk in your role as a “Salty Christian”!    

You have what it takes!

Don’t forget to invite God into your day!

James 1:22

Colossians 3:23-24

Ezra 10:4