Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

Hey everyone! I am SO excited to be joining you in the Bible reading journey this week. Over the next few days, we’ll be exploring how we can live as “Salt & Light” in our families, in our communities, and in today’s culture.

Today’s reading is one that many of us may be familiar with, especially the phrase, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” But if you’re like me, it can be easy to simply log this part of Scripture in the back of your mind as stuff you already know.

But let’s take a breath, come back around it, and see if the Lord wants to give us deeper insight today.

In this passage, we see Jesus trekking through towns and villages, teaching in the synagogues, spreading the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every kind of sickness and disease.

And I thought I had a full schedule with two kids!

It’s here - not just through Jesus’ words, but through His life - that we see what it looks like to be salt and light. Even in the hustle and bustle of this part of Jesus’ ministry, He focused on people.

He had compassion for them.

That’s the foundational ingredient to being salt and light: compassion. Because of His love for the people around Him and His love for us, Jesus testified to the truth of God’s Kingdom and brought light to the dark places of people’s lives. To begin living a life for the Kingdom of God, we must first be moved by compassion for others.

Think about your own life - about your own rhythms. Who are the people in your life who are “harassed and helpless?” Maybe it’s a coworker going through a difficult time, a friend struggling with mental health, or even a family member who feels lost. Jesus’ first move was compassion, and as His followers, we’re called to respond in the same way.

Being salt and light means stepping into the messiness of other people’s lives with the love and hope of Jesus.

It’s here, in this context, that Jesus says, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” This is both an encouragement and a challenge. The fields are ripe for harvest – people all around us are ready and in need of the Gospel. But there’s a shortage of people who are willing to step outside of themselves, be moved by compassion, and get involved. That’s where we come in, friends. Jesus calls us to be those workers, to be salt and light in the world, and to love others well.

So here’s the challenge: Look around you. Who are the people who need compassion in your life? How can you be salt and light to them? Let’s be the workers, friends. Let’s do all that we can to lead those in our communities to know, love, and follow Jesus.

The harvest, as Jesus said, is plentiful.

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• How do you typically respond when you see people who are “harassed and helpless?” Are you moved with compassion, or do you feel overwhelmed and look away? 
• What are some practical ways you can be salt and light to your community this week? 
• Are there some areas in your life where you can take a step out of your comfort zone to reach others for Jesus? Make an effort to do so this week. 
• Prayer: Father, thank You for Your compassion and love. Help me to see people through Your eyes and to be moved with the same compassion that Christ shows for me. Give me the courage to step out of my comfort zone and be salt and light in the lives of those around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.