October 25, 2014 SEASONED WITH SALT
Colossians 4:6: “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.” The words we speak are more powerful than we realize. We are capable of speaking words that build up or words that tear down and thus we need to be alert to the words that proceed from our mouth. In is noteworthy that in the above scripture, “Let” is the first word. The Spirit of God is presently at work in us and unless we quench His work within, we will find ourselves giving expression, or giving evidence of His work within through our speech, through our action and through our thoughts. The Holy Spirit is always promoting from within the things that reflect the nature of God. We also see the word “always” and we might think that that sounds impossible, but again, as long as we are “letting” the Spirit have His way within, we will be reflecting His work. We are not bound or limited by human nature, but we have the power of God at work in us. We all know that salt brings out the flavor and that it can also be used as a preservative, so using salt as an analogy for speech presents a powerful truth. The words we speak should be with grace which says that our words should have the best interest of others at heart and our words should reflect compassion. Also, our words should build up and our words should bring out the best just as salt beings out the flavor. Also, we need to “know how to respond to each person”. There should be no “cookie cutter” approach in our speaking to others, but rather we are to realize that people are unique and the needs and situations are different for each person. It goes without saying that if our words are to be effective, we must be good listeners. As we listen to others, the Holy Spirit within us will give us the words to say that will be life to those who hear. There are times when it is necessary to use words that are for correction or even for rebuking, but even then our words are to have the intent of building up. Speaking with the goal of building up will prevent us from lashing out in anger or using destructive words, and it will cause us to be good listeners. We know that once we speak a word, it cannot be taken back. If we do speak in a wrong manner or say something we should not have said, we can ask for forgiveness and often as we are asking for forgiveness in such situations, we will find that God is doing a deeper work in us and perhaps in the other person as well. God has a marvelous way of working for good even in situations and circumstances that may look hopeless to us. May we heed the instruction given in this verse and may we see that we can now speak words that bring life to us and to the hearer.
Ephesians 4:29: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word that is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Blessings,
Buddy
Colossians 4:6: “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person.” The words we speak are more powerful than we realize. We are capable of speaking words that build up or words that tear down and thus we need to be alert to the words that proceed from our mouth. In is noteworthy that in the above scripture, “Let” is the first word. The Spirit of God is presently at work in us and unless we quench His work within, we will find ourselves giving expression, or giving evidence of His work within through our speech, through our action and through our thoughts. The Holy Spirit is always promoting from within the things that reflect the nature of God. We also see the word “always” and we might think that that sounds impossible, but again, as long as we are “letting” the Spirit have His way within, we will be reflecting His work. We are not bound or limited by human nature, but we have the power of God at work in us. We all know that salt brings out the flavor and that it can also be used as a preservative, so using salt as an analogy for speech presents a powerful truth. The words we speak should be with grace which says that our words should have the best interest of others at heart and our words should reflect compassion. Also, our words should build up and our words should bring out the best just as salt beings out the flavor. Also, we need to “know how to respond to each person”. There should be no “cookie cutter” approach in our speaking to others, but rather we are to realize that people are unique and the needs and situations are different for each person. It goes without saying that if our words are to be effective, we must be good listeners. As we listen to others, the Holy Spirit within us will give us the words to say that will be life to those who hear. There are times when it is necessary to use words that are for correction or even for rebuking, but even then our words are to have the intent of building up. Speaking with the goal of building up will prevent us from lashing out in anger or using destructive words, and it will cause us to be good listeners. We know that once we speak a word, it cannot be taken back. If we do speak in a wrong manner or say something we should not have said, we can ask for forgiveness and often as we are asking for forgiveness in such situations, we will find that God is doing a deeper work in us and perhaps in the other person as well. God has a marvelous way of working for good even in situations and circumstances that may look hopeless to us. May we heed the instruction given in this verse and may we see that we can now speak words that bring life to us and to the hearer.
Ephesians 4:29: “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word that is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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