Thursday, July 02, 2015

In our last visit we noted while studying the beatitudes in Mathew 5 that nonbelievers often will not understand those who are blessed of God. In fact, being blessed by God might provoke them to react in the form of persecution. But those who understand and have experienced God’s blessing endure the hurt, because deep inside, in secret, they are ok with God, and that suffices for them to go on. In verse 11 Jesus amplifies this beatitude: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” You might never see tangible rewards here on earth, but in the secret place in your heart God assures you that you are blessed. You will know this fully when you get to heaven. That is our blessed hope. So until that day be “the salt of the earth.” Salt when seen in a salt shaker on a shelf in your kitchen does no good. It needs to be applied to food and rubbed in until it loses its identity for it to enhance the taste or preserve the food from decay. In other words, it does its work in secret! So, what we do for God is to be done, not so others will see it and praise or honor us, but in secret where God sees and blesses. This “in secret” principle is the basis for overcoming our tendency toward pride and arrogance. Remember, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (1st Peter 5:5).