You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; (…) “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus Christ – The Beatitudes – Gospel of Matthew.

I came across an acquaintance’s social media profile this week that made me ponder about the broad meaning of the word “Influence.” Her profile read in big letters, “Influencer.” As I browsed her pictures, I realized that she has successfully become a fashion ambassador for several brands. Because she has acquired a large following, companies are investing as she promotes stores and labels in her profile.

I remember when she started — fun, lighthearted posts, showing how a woman in her 40s can still wear trendy clothes and look “sexy.” Her beautiful figure and carefree personality helped increase followers, which, in the social media world, means you have become an “Influencer.”

As I looked at the big words on the profile, a smile crossed my face.

“I want to be an influencer,” I said out loud.

My mind was lightyears away from the fashion and fitness world, however. Instead, my thoughts were drawn to Jesus’ words at the end of the Sermon of the Mount — a passage which I have studied in depth.

After addressing the crowd that came to hear His teachings, Jesus turned to focus the discourse on His disciples — the very men who he would later commission to spread the gospel to “Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.”

The Master knew the challenges ahead of His followers. They would encounter avid opposition, face persecution, temptations and resistance from the Jews and the mighty Roman empire. They would undoubtedly be tempted to take matters into their own hands and succumb to pressure.

Instead of practical instructions about how to persevere, Jesus’ words were a reminder and a warning concerning the disciples’ attitude: “You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.”

The Jews understood the symbolic meaning of salt in their culture. In the book of Numbers, God’s everlasting covenant with the Jewish people was referred to as “a covenant of salt.” Likewise, the gospel that the disciples would spread to the world would be an everlasting gospel.

Salt was required in every sacrifice in the Old Testament, representing cleansing and preservation. The disciples, therefore, were to become instruments for bringing life, purity and light to the world. They were to become light-bearers in the dark places and influence the world for good. Moreover, Jesus admonished them that if they lost their “salt and light” qualities, their influence for good would likewise diminish or die altogether.

Jesus' #disciples are called to be light-bearers in the dark places and influence the world for good. If we lose our “salt and light” qualities, our influence for good will likewise diminish or die altogether. @AJC #MondayDevotional…
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The concept should give us pause.

Our social media followers may be few. We may be far from being labeled as an “influencer” by the powers that be. But there is no question that we are all influencers in our environment to one degree or another.

Our social media followers may be few. We may be far from being labeled as an #influencer by the powers that be. But there is no question that we are all influencers in our environment to one degree or another.@AJC #MondayDevotional…
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We may not receive the call to be missionaries across the seas, but every child of God has a sphere of influence, whether they realize it or not.

Our children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews are watching our words and attitudes. Our friends pay attention to how we face life’s circumstances. And let us not forget — our social media followers are reading our posts, whether we share a Bible verse or rant about politics. People cannot be fooled.

We may talk a big game about our faith and commitment to God and his principles, but if our walk does not match our talk, we have lost the salt and light qualities that once made us stand out, “season” and “brighten” the world around us.

We may talk a big game about our faith and commitment to God and his principles, but if our walk does not match our talk, we have lost the salt and light qualities that once made us 'season' and 'brighten' the world around us.
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Jesus’ message to the men and women who would become the greatest influencers in the first century still resounds to 21st-century believers everywhere: Be salt. Be light. Period. That’s the only influence that truly matters.

“My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done; leave countless marks for good or ill, ere sets the evening sun. This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray: Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.” — Anonymous

Jesus’ message to the men and women who would become the greatest influencers in the first century still resounds to 21st-century believers everywhere: Be salt. Be light. Period. That’s the only influence that truly matters. @AJC…
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Saturday, April 10, 2021. Find it on the AJC’s website HERE.

The post We Are All Influencers {The Atlanta Journal-Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

While carefully unwrapping the manger scene figurines for my foyer table this year, I paused to look closely at the three magi in the set. Draped in ostentatious robes, the artist was careful to portray the paradox of the moment: rich, illustrious men, prostrated before a newborn in a feeding trough. It’s a part of the manger scene which, although historically wrong, is true to its core message. Even though the three kings did not come to the manger, but rather to Christ’s humble home in Jerusalem about two years after his birth, Matthew records in his Gospel that they indeed “fell to the ground and worshiped him.” (Matthew 2:11)

There are certain characteristics of the three wise men that heighten the significance of their worship of Israel’s promised Messiah. First, they were gentile, making them the first gentiles who worshipped Jesus. Secondly, we know that they were intellectuals. They were called Magoi or “magicians” — a known term used for Persian philosophers and priests. Thirdly, according to scholars, they were most probably from Arabia, since it is said they came from the East, and Arabia is called the Land of the East in Scriptures.

The gifts they bore were also products of that country: gold — a treasure that was brought as tribute for Jesus as king; frankincense — a treasure used to honor him as God with the smoke of incense; and finally, myrrh, to symbolize Jesus’ sacrificial death, since myrrh was used in embalming the dead. Each of these gifts were significant. Each of them, priceless. Just as priceless as the long journey these mighty men took, following the light that was guiding them to Christ.

They knew power, possessions and prestige, and yet, bowed before a toddler, in awe and adoration, setting aside their prominence and pride, thus acknowledging that their earthy position and wealth were subdued by his presence.

Three kings bowed before a toddler, in awe and adoration, setting aside their prominence and pride, thus acknowledging that their earthy position and wealth were subdued by his presence.
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I thought about the magi when I came across the third beatitude while studying the Sermon of the Mount:

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.”  (Matthew 5:5)

While teaching new concepts of righteousness, Jesus conveyed to his followers that one of the characteristics that God seeks from us is meekness. The meek (or humble) are blessed, or “happy” as a better translation of the Greek word used in the original text.

Meekness is not a popular word these days, and many equal it to weakness. But meekness as taught by Jesus, is not adopting a low view of oneself; nor is it discrediting our accomplishments or refuting material blessings. Meekness in this sense is characterized by humble submission to God. The meek lay aside their pride, and bear provocation without having to send back a harsh answer. The meek are cool when others are hot, and choose to forgive, yet again, instead of calling for revenge. The meek lay aside their agenda and make great sacrifices to help others and honor God. The meek recognize, just as the three kings did, that even the mightiest are poor before the one who spoke the stars into existence.

Meekness is not a popular word these days, and many equal it to weakness. But meekness as taught by Jesus, is not adopting a low view of oneself. Meekness is characterized by humble submission to God.
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As I think about this Christmas, when families will gather to celebrate and share gifts, I cannot help but think that so many people dread getting together because of ongoing conflicts. Regardless of the battles among family members, most will come bearing gifts — a tradition started by the three kings themselves. May their humble submission to God inspire us to remember what Jesus taught us on the Mount that day: Blessed are those who humbly submit to God, offering others peace, forgiveness and grace.

May this Christmas be a time of reconciliation and peace for our families, as we heed the words of the baby whose birthday we celebrate.

May this Christmas be a time of reconciliation and peace for our families, as we heed the words of the baby whose birthday we celebrate.
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This article was originally published in Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday, December 22, 2018. 

The post Three Magi… and the Best Christmas Gift We Can Give {The Atlanta Journal Constitution} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

“The news about Him spread throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all who were ill, those suffering with various diseases and pains, demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics; and He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee and the Decapolis and Jerusalem and Judea and from beyond the Jordan.

When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…” Matthew 4:24 – 5:1,2

He spent the night in prayer, seeking the Father’s heart before appointing the Twelve disciples who would later start His church on earth. At that point in His ministry, Jesus was incredibly popular, and therefore, a great crowd greeted Him as He came down from the mountain where He selected the Twelve. The multitude came from Judea and Jerusalem, as well as the seacoast of Tyre and Sidon, both to hear His words and expectant to witness His work. They had heard about the miracles, which validated Messiah’s message. The Kingdom was near.

People from every walk, both Jews and gentiles, crowded the Mount of Beatitudes, located on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Gennesaret. It what there that Jesus gave his longest and most quoted sermon. Matthew dedicated three chapters to the words of that sermon.

Jesus saw these followers as sheep, longing to hear their Shepherd’s voice, ready to fill the emptiness that religion had failed to satisfy.

Jesus' followers longed to hear their Shepherd’s voice and were ready to fill the emptiness that religion had failed to satisfy.
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The Pharisees sought to help those who wanted to seek righteousness by codifying the Law into 365 prohibitions and 248 commandments, thus making the righteousness of the law impossible to obtain.

Jesus, in offering Himself as their King, demanded the same righteousness as a prerequisite to enter God’s Kingdom. The difference was, however, incommensurable. Christ’s measure of righteousness had nothing to do with attending the feasts, nor following the Sabbath’s laws. In the New Covenant offered by Israel’s long-awaited Messiah, righteousness would be obtained by repenting and putting one’s faith in His Person.

Christ’s measure of righteousness had nothing to do with attending the feasts, nor following the Sabbath’s laws. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional #Jesus
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The multitude on Mount Sinai agreed in one thing: Righteousness is needed to enter the Kingdom of God. They had heard the same thing since their toddler years, preached on the synagogues and every gathering where Jews would meet. The question in their minds was not: “What is required to enter God’s Kingdom”, but rather: “What IS righteousness.”

Jesus summarizes the contrast on verse 20:

“For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

To the Pharisees, His words were heresy. They even accused Him of being demon-possessed. But Jesus did not back down. He had come to fulfill the Law by becoming their righteousness – The righteousness they could never attain, as hard as they may work in keeping the Law. But in a seemingly simple, however deep discourse, the Savior explained to those following Him what true righteousness looks like.

That is the heart of the Sermon of the Mount: an exposition of the holiness of God, and His expectations for those who believe in His Son and are accepted into His Kingdom. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional #Jesus
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The sermon is fascinating… and challenging. For as many other things the Savior said, there is much more in its words than what meets the eye. This sermon is not a simple agglomeration of disconnected teachings. It is believed that it is one harmonious unity, seamlessly progressing in rational order. It was Jesus’ inaugural sermon, delivered soon after His return from Galilee, where He had performed His first miracles, and strategically delivered at a time when His followers had enough evidence given by His supernatural miracles to substantiate His Messianic claims.

I want to invite you to join me on a journey for the next several weeks, as we unfold the Sermon of the Mount together.

It will inspire and make you think. My main objective in this blog series, however, is to challenge our walk as followers of Jesus, for a deep study on His words on the Mount of Beatitudes should challenge anyone who calls himself a Christian.

Because, even though it’s true that His amazing grace is vaster than the ocean and salvation does not depend on anything you and I do or don’t do, there is no doubt that He longs to find His church walking in righteousness when He returns.

Even though it’s true that His amazing #grace is vaster than the ocean & #salvation does not depend on anything we do, no doubt He longs to find His church walking in righteousness. #MondayMotivation #MondayDevotional #Jesus
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So, I invite you to come back next week as we start unpacking Jesus’ Words… to understand what the “blessed” in The Beatitudes really look like.

In the Meantime, I invite you to read the Sermon, found on chapters 5 through 7 in the gospel of Matthew, and rejoice in the fact that you and I do not have to abide by endless prohibitions and laws. Jesus’ blood, our righteousness, is all we need to enter the Kingdom of God. And His Spirit, our Guide, is all we need to be able to live as Christ taught us to live, that we may experience and further His Kingdom, right here on earth.

Come back next week for the continuation of the series!

Question: Is there any part of the sermon of the Mountain that challenges you in particular? Share your thoughts below!

Have a blessed week!

The post The Most Challenging Sermon of All Time {Blog Series} appeared first on Soaring With Him Ministries.

It had been a long time since I heard God speak in such a clear, unmistakable way.

It took me by surprise. Of all things He could have used to send me a message, He chose a bird. A plain, small backyard sparrow delivered a message that I will never forget.

It was 2002 and I was home with a small baby and an unemployed husband. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks of 2001, my husband’s job was eliminated only three months after the birth of our firstborn. Our savings were draining fast, and I was afraid.

I knelt by the couch in our family room and cried out to God. For the first time since my husband lost his job, I was transparent in my prayer:

“I’m scared. How are we going to pay the mortgage?”

Was God aware of the price of diapers and baby formula?

As I finished “informing” almighty God of all that was going on in our lives and our imminent needs, I felt a strong need to be quiet and wait for him to speak.

Silence filled the room and several moments passed by. I was about to give up when I heard it:

“Chirp!”

I looked up and saw the sparrow, sitting on the lounge chair outside my window. It seemed to be looking straight at me.

“Look at the birds of the air, Patricia. They do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet I feed them daily. Are you not worth much more than they?”

I knew where the words were printed: Straight from the Sermon of the Mount, one of Christianity’s most beloved passages. The sermon is the longest continuous section of Jesus speaking in the New Testament, and it includes some of Jesus’ most famous teachings, such as the Beatitudes, as well as the widely recited Lord’s Prayer.

In my Bible, the subtitle of this particular passage of the sermon is “The Cure for Anxiety,” a passage often quoted as a reminder that nothing escapes the omniscience of a loving and caring God.

This happened 15 years ago and I’ll never forget it. The question often replays in my mind when I see sparrows lining up on electric wires:

“Are you not worth more than these?”

Whether it’s unemployment, illness, or any other trial or need that we may face, the question remains. And although at times the magnitude of the trouble that assails us is such, that it becomes almost impossible to grasp this truth within our hearts, the answer never changes.

Yes. We’re worth more than those.

We’re the apple of His eye.

That’s Jesus’ point, really.

At the end of the passage, He invites us to, instead of fretting and worrying, seek God’s presence, His kingdom and righteousness …

And then let God be God.

The job didn’t come right away. As a matter of fact, my husband was out of a permanent job for 18 months at that time. But God kept sending small jobs here and there, and often provision came from unexpected places. We never missed a meal. God provided for each one of our needs, even if at the eleventh hour.

While walking through that desert and many others I’ve faced since then, “seeking His kingdom and righteousness” has become my main focus.

No, it’s not always easy. It’s often a struggle to believe past the hurt, pain and confusion. But just as He provided to that bird that joyfully chirped to a distressed young mother on a cold winter morning years ago, I choose to believe He will keep taking care of all my needs, protecting and guiding me through the hard times I face.

He’s done it so far.

Why would He not do it again?

This article was published on Patricia’s column for The Atlanta Journal Constitution on Saturday – August 5, 2017.

Anxious about tomorrow? A Small Sparrow... and a message I'll never forget. Read this!
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