"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."Matthew 5:13 Salt is undoubtedly one the most common chemical compounds on the earth. It comes in many forms and in multiple chemical combinations. The most common of which is NaCl - … [Read more...] about The Salt of the Kingdom
Kingdom
The Purity of the Kingdom
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Matthew 5:8 Purity sounds like such a insult in today's vernacular. It conjures up images of weakness, insecurity, or naivete. The Greek word katheros used in this sense means to be "clean or free of stains or corruption." That seems innocent enough on the surface, but what does it take to make something pure that … [Read more...] about The Purity of the Kingdom
The Meekness of the Kingdom
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."Matthew 5:5 The first time I ever heard the word "meek" was in that classic childhood film "The Wizard of Oz." Dorothy stood before the fearsome visage of the Wizard who thunders: "I am Oz - the Great and Powerful. Who are you? Who are you?!" Dorothy's timid response was "If you please, I am Dorothy - the small and … [Read more...] about The Meekness of the Kingdom
The Mourning of the Kingdom
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."Matthew 5:3 There is no mistaking that 2020 has been a truly unusual year. The year started with one disaster after another, leading into a global coronavirus pandemic that so far has lasted for five months in the United States, and as long as eight months in China, where it all began. During this time reported … [Read more...] about The Mourning of the Kingdom
The Poverty of the Kingdom
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:1-3 The crowds gathered around from all over. From as far away as Damascus, a wealthy trading post along the Fertile Crescent, outside of … [Read more...] about The Poverty of the Kingdom