13/12/08

Season your speech with grace and salt

Colossians 4:6 - Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

I do not have much idea of other countries but from the country which I come from salt is the most essential part of any cooking (leaving for most deserts). Salty may be brackish / sour in taste but when put in any food brings out the taste of the other elements. It is an element in our speech which way be disliked by people but in the right proportion will bring the best in them (more of it and it will become salty /sourness; less and makes it bland).

The other element Paul talks of is grace. Grace means showing favor / mercy.

When we speak to people our speech should have both the elements - salt and grace well balanced, not to a standard formulae but according to the person and the situation.

Just last Sunday I lost the balance of these two elements and I landed up hurting my relationship with some persons. I may have been right in what I was saying but then the way I said it was not right. The Lord then corrected me that night in discerning, being patient and trusting in Him by not trying to get all the work done at our end. We should do our little part and let his Spirit do the rest.

If you analyze the Red Letters (sayings of Jesus) you will find a perfect balance of the two elements according the situation and to whom they were directed to. I know it is very difficult to keep this in check because I too have failed many a times due to my over zeal or my uncontrolled anger, but as we make an attempt and keep trying, we will surely learn it.


[ Prayer Starter ]

Father God, I thank You for bringing to light this area of weakness in me. Help me Father to be alert every time I speak to others that my speech may build them and bring out the best in them. Teach me to depend more on You Holy Spirit and not to try to do all single handedly. I ask this in Jesus' Name, Amen.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others.
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