Season Your Speech

What is the important takeaway that Paul wants us to realize in this verse?
This verse encourages believers to speak with kindness and wisdom, making our words effective and impactful. God wants us to carry on conversations that reflect His grace in our hearts. Our words are more powerful than we often realize. Contemplate your daily interactions with coworkers or friends. How do our humble and gracious attitudes reflect Christ? Think about the people that you will interact with this week—people you do not even know. Can they readily identify the gentleness in your communication? 

Grace: Gracious people are kind, and their behavior glorifies God. Having grace means choosing honest words that encourage and support—words that are sprinkled with gentleness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). Are you prepared to turn everyday frustrations into statements that reflect God’s goodness and love?

By chance, a woman starts a conversation with a cashier at a grocery store. “How is your day going so far?” He shares with her how his life is tough because he recently returned to work. “I had surgery for a brain tumor, and my medical bills are over $100,000. I’m working hard on my payment plan, but I get tired. The store is kind enough to let me have Sunday off so I can attend church with my son.”

Seasoned with Salt: We use our words to build and strengthen relationships. To add salt means adding value with our words. In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls his followers “the salt of the earth” to highlight their part as champions of goodness and truth in the world. Our words should impact our conversations for the better so that we make the most of every opportunity. In order to give a seasoned answer, we must present what we say and how we say it in a way that reflects Christ. Are you ready to provide a message of hope?

The woman replied, “I am thankful that your surgery was a success. God has plans for you. Isn’t it wonderful that you can worship with your son? I’m sure he enjoys his time and fellowship with you.”

Wisdom: True wisdom is only God’s to give; therefore, we need to listen closely to wisdom and direct our heart to understanding (Proverbs 2:2). The Bible encourages us to ask God for wisdom. Colossians 4:6 suggests that by learning gracious and well-seasoned speech, we will be better equipped to engage in meaningful conversations that exemplify our faith. Paul encourages us to live and speak in a way that honors God and makes the most of sharing the gospel.

She quotes to the cashier: The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged (Deuteronomy 31:8). The cashier stares at the woman with tearful eyes and says, “You are about to make me cry.” She replies, “It’s the Holy Spirit working through me.” The cashier nods his head and smiles as the woman departs the store.