Feb 27 2025 Staying Salty
I’ve got a good ol’ boy story to start us off today. This fellow didn’t have much education, but he was a hard worker, and he’d made a lot of money. He decided with all that money, he wanted to get an education. He’d heard that Harvard was a really good school and decided to go check it out. While he was in the student union drinking a cup of coffee, he happened to be standing next to a professor who taught logic. They chatted a bit when this fellow asked the professor, “Could you explain that to me? What is logic?”
The professor said, “Let me use an illustration: Do you have a weed eater? Do you own one?” The fellow said, yes I do.
The professor said, “Logic tells me if you own a weed eater then you have a yard.” That is unbelievable. Yes, I do!
“Logic tells me if you have a weed eater and you have a yard, then you have a house.” Amazing, yes, I have a house!
The professor continues, “Then logic tells me if you have a house that you also have a family in that house.” That’s incredible, yes, I do!
The professor concludes by saying, “Logic also tells me that the cross hanging around your neck says that you are a Christian, not an atheist.” Wow, yes, I am!
Well, the ol’ boy was astonished and said, “Logic told you all that? I’m sold! I am taking your course!” So, he takes the course. Nine weeks later he goes back home and meets up with his buddy in the local diner. When the friend asked where he’d been, the fellow replies, “Oh man, I went to Harvard to get some education. I took this course called logic.”
The whole diner went quiet, until the buddy finally asked, “Logic? What is logic??”
The fellow was so excited to share all that he had learned. He said, “Let me ask you a question, do you have a weed eater?”
The friend said, “No, I don’t have a weed eater.”
“Well,” says the ol’ boy, “Then logic tells me you’re an atheist.”
That’s good, isn’t it?
Haha…! Even though that’s not exactly how logic works, there is a great point here. Biblical logic says if Jesus Christ is in your life, then you are the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). It doesn’t say you may be the salt, or that you might become the salt, but you are the salt. That is the logic: If Jesus is in your life, then you are the salt.
So, how do you stay salty? Jesus Christ has allowed you to stay on planet earth to make a difference. Every day of our lives, we ought to be thinking how can we, today, make a difference for Christ. We need to study God’s Word and spend time with Him in prayer. And we need to disciple others! It’s iron sharpening iron – saltiness staying salty.
“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
Matthew 5:13 NLT
I had the great privilege to speak at the Association for Biblical Higher Education in Orlando, Florida this past weekend alongside Dennis Allen (a dear friend and author of The Disciple Dilemma), Dr. George Hillman (VP for Education and Professor of Educational Ministries and Leadership at DTS), and Dr. Andrew Yates (another dear friend I discipled and who works as a Coordinator for Global Discipleship at DTS). Our aim was to light a fire for multiplying disciple makers among Christian colleges, seminaries, and graduate schools across America. It was a great time!
While in Orlando, I also had the opportunity to meet up with Jonathan Clayton, a young guy I discipled through The Four Priorities. He is now discipling another guy in Orlando — disciples making disciples! Jonathan and a group of about five guys his age wanted to meet for lunch while I was in town. These guys came prepared! I spent 2 fascinating hours encouraging them and answering a ton of questions – mostly on how to share Christ with non-believers and specifically, with atheists. I answered as many questions as I could and am so thankful for these young men and their on-fire faith!
Next up, I’m looking forward to teaching the Disciple Making Summit this Friday night in The Colony, Texas to pastors, elders, and key leaders in the church. It’ll be a great time laying out the biblical foundation for disciple making. Please pray that these men and women would be excited and energized to make disciples!
Warmly in Him,
John Tolson