ROMANS 1:8-16

Patty Drake, a nine-year-old girl, heard her mother say to her grandmother, "She doesn't even earn her own salt. If she were only a boy, now, she might run errands or do something to get a little money, and we need every cent we can get, with the interest money to be paid, and land knows what else." Patty's mother loved her, but didn't think she was "worth her salt" as far as helping with the family finances. Now this little girl loved salt, and since things were difficult financially for the family, she wanted to help out. But what could she do? She heard the grocery delivery boy tell her mother that old Miss Hunter wanted a boy to do errands, but that since she was so stingy none of them wanted to work for her. Patty mused that she was strong and could do errands as well as a boy, and she decided to go see Miss Hunter to see if she'd hire her. Maybe she'd give her salt for pay. When she knocked on the door Miss Hunter opened it a crack and told her she didn't want to buy anything, but Patty quickly told her she hadn't come to sell anything. Then Miss Hunter told her there was no use in begging, and Patty assured her she had not come to beg. She'd come to see if she would hire her to do her errands, and that Miss Hunter could just pay her in salt. Here was a little girl who wanted to be worth her salt. Perhaps we look at our lives and wonder if we have been worth our salt. Maybe we are burdened with some regrets, some sense that we could have, would have, should have done better. Don't look back with regret, determine to look around with enthusiasm, and to move forward with resolve. If you want to be worth your salt, here are some suggestions gleaned from Patty Drake, and more significantly, from the Apostle Paul:

1. DEFINE CLEAR AND GODLY PURPOSES: VV11-16:
1. Paul knew his purpose and states it here:
1. Verse 11: To establish the Roman Christians by imparting some spiritual gift which the apostles were authorized to give.
2. Verse 12: To be encouraged by, and to encourage them, in the faith. 
3. Verses 13-16: To gain a harvest among them in terms of souls saved by the preaching of the gospel.
2. In defining your purposes, here are some guidelines to make them godly and worthy:
1. Make your purposes realistic: something that is possible to attain. That is, purpose to read the Bible through in a year, not in an hour or two.
2. Make your purposes challenging: something that will stretch you, test you, move you out of your comfort zones, and demand some discipline. 
3. Make your purposes definite and specific. Not, "I want to be a better person," but "I will be a better daughter by doing these things."
4. Make your purposes personal, not things for others to accomplish. 
5. Make your purposes unselfish and altruistic. Consider what's good for others.
6. Make your purposes orient on eternity, not just this world and material things.
7. Make your purposes glorify God and bring honor to Him.
3. So, what would be some specific and worthy purposes for us to consider?
1. In relationship to Christ:
1. To know Christ more intimately.
2. To love Christ more dearly.
3. To serve Christ more faithfully.
4. To obey Christ more fully.
5. To share Christ more boldly.
2. In relationship to others:
1. Mend a quarrel.
2. Right a wrong.
3. Forgive an offense.
4. Make a friend.
5. Help the needy.
3. In relationship to how we live:
1. Break a binding behavior.
2. Learn a new skill.
3. Live one day at a time, trust Him to provide for its daily needs.
4. To be worth your salt, define a clear and Godly purpose. Remember that if you aim at nothing, you will surely hit it.

2. DETERMINE TO WORK HARD FOR THE LORD: V9:
1. Paul served God with his whole heart, with his spirit, with the totality of his being. He was a hard worker for the Lord.
2. It is well to remember that
1. We were created in Christ Jesus for good works! Ephesians 2:10.
2. That God is at work in us both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:13.
3. The rich are to be ready for good works and to share. 1 Timothy 6:18.
4. That God would have all who believe in Him to be diligent and zealous to do good works. Titus 2:14.
5. That faith without works is dead. James 2:17.
6. That every believer ought to perform works of faith. 2 Thessalonians 1:11.
3. We have the choice of belonging to the lax legion of lazy loafing leaners or the Lord's loyal legion of load lifters. Which are you?
4. The Lord clearly deserves more than half-hearted, luke-warm, namby-pamby, wishy-washy service. He deserves the best work we can do. To be worth your salt, resolve to work hard for the Lord.

3. DEDICATE YOURSELF FAITHFULLY IN YOUR DUTY TO CHRIST: V14:
1. Paul had a sense of responsibility, a sense of commitment, a sense of obligation. He was faithful in his duty to Christ. He could truly say, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith;" 2 Timothy 4:7. 
2. Jesus doesn't demand that we be successful, but He does demand that we be faithful. What will this mean in life? How can we prove faithful in our responsibility?
1. Do it now instead of procrastinating. A more convenient season never seems to come.
2. Assume responsibility for your own actions instead of passing the buck or blaming someone else.
3. Be honest with yourself and your Lord and make no excuses for shirking.
4. Do what needs to be done in season and out of season, whether you feel like it or not, whether it is convenient or not, whether you are comfortable doing it or not.
5. Keep your eyes on the Lord and never be moved away from Him.
3. Talk about being dedicated and faithful: A certain Mrs. Craig wanted to be faithful to her responsibility to her church. Though in her 80's she hadn't missed a Sunday in years. A facetious article asks, "What's the matter with Mrs. Craig? Doesn't it ever rain or snow in her town on Sunday? Doesn't she ever have unexpected company? How is it that she never goes anywhere on Saturday night so that she's too tired to attend the worship service the next morning? Doesn't she ever attend picnics or family reunions, or have headaches, colds, nervous spells, or tired feelings? Doesn't she ever oversleep or need time to read her Sunday paper? Hasn't she ever become angry at the minister or had her feelings hurt by someone and felt justified in staying home to hear a good sermon on radio or TV? What's the matter with Mrs. Craig anyway?" Nothing is the matter; she just wanted to be faithful.
4. To be worth your salt, continue faithful in your responsibility to Christ. Here's what Jesus says about being faithful:
1. "He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." Luke 16:10. 
2. "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." (NIV) Matthew 10:22. 
3. "Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life." Revelation 2:10. 
4. At the judgment He will say, "Well done, good and faithful slave; you were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things, enter into the joy of your master." Matthew 25:21. 

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