Read Matthew 5:13-16

“Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.”

Matthew 5:13 MSG

Sometimes serving is easy and sometimes it is not. For some, it is easy to be a greeter or an usher at church. It may not be difficult to say “good morning” to people and ask how they’re doing. In an effort to be salt and seasoning, one could mow the neighbor’s yard or shovel the snow when they can’t do it.

But serving can also be difficult sometimes. “For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.”  Romans 7:18b

My dad, who always said he was agnostic, lived with us for nine weeks before he passed away in 2016. He did not want to be served. As a former Captain in the Marines, he viewed accepting any kind of help as a weakness. He did not want medicine, oxygen or any kind of help from us other than living with us. His IPF disabled his lungs and we tried to help him make his life a little easier, but he did not want help. He did not want to be served. So, we served non-verbally by not asking, “Can I help you?” or providing a home, a bed, meals, arranging friends to visit, etc. Somehow, through the grace of God, a great thing happened: he became a Christian three days before his death. And that, my friend, is the greatest miracle I have ever seen.

Whenever we serve someone, we have the opportunity to act verbally or nonverbally to honor God. We could ask them, “You know Jesus loves you, right?” Or we could just say “Jesus loves you” or “God bless.” We can also put statements like these in a text, an email, a letter or a website. We could give them something such as a coin with a scripture verse with Colossians 3:23 on it. Let them know that Jesus loves them and that we are a believer in Jesus Christ as the son of God by our actions, our words and our aroma. We are serving in His name.

“I can be there for you when it can’t get much harder.

I can cover your head when life starts to rain.

I can hold on tight when it feels like you’re falling.

I can build you up when you’re broken in shame.

But if all that we do is absent of Jesus,

Then this ‘so called’ love is completely in vain.”

Bart Millard

Let’s look for opportunities to serve and be salt-seasoning for the purpose of honoring God! That’s why we are here!

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” 

Colossians 3:2.

Tom Weckesser