Tim’s Daily Bread Devotional 8.3.21

By August 3, 2021Daily Bread

Good morning! I hope this day finds you and your family well, and I want you to know that you are in my prayers daily during this difficult time.

I invite you to take a few moments with me to reflect on today’s Upper Room Devotional below — as well as on the theology woven into “It is well with my soul.”

Today’s Scripture:

Matthew 5:13-16 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
Salt and Light

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

14 “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Tim’s Devotional Reflection for Today

Since the latter half of the 1800’s, to refer to a person as “salty” has meant coarse or angry, irritated, or hostile.  Not an adjective you want to wear.  However, Jesus describes his followers as SALT.  So, I invite you to think of the word “salty” in a different way.

I remember an old retired pastor I knew describing the members of my first congregation with these words: “They are the salt of the earth.”  I knew what he meant.  He meant that they were good people.  They were ethical, stable, dependable, solid folk who had as much concern for others as they had for themselves.

Jesus said to his disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.”  Salt is essential to the health of people and animals and is used universally as a seasoning. Saltiness is one of the five basic taste sensations.  Not only that, but salting is an important method of food preservation.

Salt was so valuable in antiquity that Moorish merchants in the 6th century traded salt for gold, weight for weight.  People are “worth their salt” if they do a good job. The very word “salary” is from the Latin for “salt,” a reflection of the fact that part of a Roman soldier’s pay was in the form of salt or money that allowed the soldier to buy that valuable commodity.

So, what might Jesus mean?  Think of the uses and value of salt.  Salt Purifies, Heals and Preserves.  It even makes life possible.  And Salt Adds Flavor.  Perhaps what Jesus was saying to his followers was You are valuable.  You have the power to preserve what is good and to enable life.  You can add flavor to life.

Jesus also called his follower the light of the world, reminding them to let their light shine with their good works and to bring the light of God’s love to even the darkest of places.

Jesus calls us to be salty and bright with the light of God’s love.

There is a lot of theology woven into hymns. To enhance today’s reading, I recommend listening to “Go Forth for God”.

Go forth for God, go to the world in peace;
be of good courage, armed with heavenly grace,
in God’s good Spirit, daily to increase,
till in the kingdom we see face to face.

Go forth for God, go to the world in love;
strengthen the faint, give courage to the weak;
help the afflicted; richly from above
God’s love supplies the grace and power we seek.

Go forth for God, go to the world in strength;
hold fast the good, be urgent for the right;
render to no one evil; Christ at length
shall overcome all darkness with his light.

Go forth for God, go to the world in joy,
to serve God’s people every day and hour,
and serving Christ, our every gift employ,
rejoicing in the Holy Spirit’s power.

I hope you will take a few moments to let the words of this message and the emotion that always connects us to music connect with your soul. I am so grateful for you, for our church, and for the Love that will see us all through this very difficult time. Please stay safe and well and we’ll be together again in spirit tomorrow morning!

Grace and Peace,


Dr. Tim Bruster
Senior Pastor