Tuesday. [I Tim. 1:8-14; Luke 14:25-35]

   Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his savor, wherewith shall it be seasoned? Salt are the disciples of the Lord, who passed on His directions to people, destroyed the moral rottenness in those people. If we will call such teaching education, then the title of salt should also pass to this. Then the entire saying will look like this: education is a good thing, but if education has lost its savor then what is it fit for? Give it up! Education acts like salt when it is filled with the principles and elements of the Lord’s teaching, when it itself consists of discipleship with the Lord; but as soon as it departs from this, and gives alien teachings instead of the Lord’s lessons, then it has lost its savour and becomes unprofitable. It becomes infected with the rottenness of delusion and lies, and begins to be not healing, but infectious. History has confirmed and continues to confirm this with experience everywhere. Why doesn’t anybody heed experience? The enemy brings darkness upon everyone and they all think that it is light, when in their teachings they remain far from the Lord’s teaching.

Monday. [I Tim. 1:1-7; Luke 14:12-15]

   As an indicator of whom to invite to a dinner take for yourself a rule: do not do anything for your neighbor with a view to recompense from him here. But this does not mean that you will spend everything in vain. In due course all will be returned to you. In the Sermon on the Mount about all God-pleasing deeds—prayer, fasting, and alms—the Lord commanded to do them secretly. Why? Because the Heavenly Father will reward you openly. Therefore, a Christian should prepare future bliss for himself through all his labours in life; he should build himself an eternal home, and send provisions there in advance for all eternity. This is not being mercenary, because one’s own material interests as such are limited to this life, while [the future] life is to detriment of these interests. Furthermore, it is impossible to live this way without faith, hope and love towards the Lord. Acting according to the commandments in hope of recompense is also an abstract action. And yet it is closer and more distinct for the heart than anything else which is too unreal, as for example to do good for the sake of good. You will not find the latter anywhere in Scriptures. The higher incentive is here: do everything for the sake of the Lord and do not fear loss.