ARE YOU LEAVING A LASTING IMPACT?
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“You are the salt of the earth;
but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? If is then good for nothing but to thrown out
and trampled underfoot by men.”—Matthew 5:13
Everywhere the Apostles ministered
after the Day of Pentecost, they left a lasting impact. Religious leaders marveled at the boldness
that these uneducated and untrained men possessed, and realized that they had
been with Jesus (Acts 4:13). People from
all walks of life were impacted by the early Church’s ministry; believers and
unbelievers alike.
Jesus said that we are the salt of
the earth, and the light of the world. He
said that a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden, and that we are to let
our light shine before people so that our good works can be seen; thus, the
Father would be glorified (Matthew 5:13-16).
In order for salt to remain useful,
it must maintain its purity and potency.
Likewise, we must endeavor to maintain our integrity and effectiveness focusing
on the Savior’s will rather than our own.
Whether or not we impact our world positively depends on the focus of
our heart. Being self-focused limits our
ability to notice other people, let alone reach out to them, and impact their
lives.
In the light of the Scriptures of
Matthew 5: 13-16, evaluate how you are impacting your world by considering these
questions: Do you look inward to consider how you can do more to get ahead and
add to your lot in life? Or do you look
outward and think about ways that you can do more to serve others. Are you works good? Can they be seen? And is the Father being
glorified? Do you share with others the
wonderful works of God? Think about the
people that you see every week. Do you
know how many of your neighbors are sick?
Are there people in your church who struggle to make it from day to
day? Do you know if any of your
coworkers are going through hardships?
Most likely, there are individuals
all around you who could use assistance.
Just as light is needed in the world today, so is your salt needed to
preserve people.
Prayer—Father
I purpose in my heart to leave a lasting impact upon my world. Help me to focus my heart upon your desires
rather than my own, in Jesus Name. Amen.
