Today we'll finish off this ongoing series on what Colossians says about many important topics to consider. We'll tackle the final big subject in this post - speech.
"Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person." Colossians 4:6
I'm just going to say it - this is going to be one of those OUCH posts, for me definitely, and, if you're anything like me, then you too. How we speak is something we all struggle with. What is the criteria for godly speech? Well, here in Colossians 4:6, we get it. The one thing that must always be in godly speech is graciousness. Dictionary.com defines "gracious" as, "characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy ... merciful and compassionate." In other words, our speech must always be kind. Another verse that I find illustrates this topic masterfully is Ephesians 4:29.
"No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear."
Our goal in talking should be to build others up. I think we often undermine the power of our words. We often forget, or just have never thought, that our words do one of two things - build up and edify or tear down. We have immense power at our fingertips. We can do wonderful things for others through our words. We can also do terrible things. We can proclaim Christ with our words, or we can choose not to.
But what does that second phrase in Colossians 4:6 mean? "Seasoned with salt"? How can we season our speech with salt? And why would we even want to? The ESV Study Bible offers an interesting note on this:
We, like the Colossians, are called to godly, gracious speech. And what's our purpose in that? "So that [we] may know how [we] should answer each person." If we have wise, gracious speech, then when people talk to us, we'll always know how to answer them - graciously, with the intent on building them up.
So let's seek to cultivate godly speech, just like the Colossians. For our words are powerful weapons; we can destroy or save with them. Which will you choose?
"Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should answer each person." Colossians 4:6
I'm just going to say it - this is going to be one of those OUCH posts, for me definitely, and, if you're anything like me, then you too. How we speak is something we all struggle with. What is the criteria for godly speech? Well, here in Colossians 4:6, we get it. The one thing that must always be in godly speech is graciousness. Dictionary.com defines "gracious" as, "characterized by or showing kindness and courtesy ... merciful and compassionate." In other words, our speech must always be kind. Another verse that I find illustrates this topic masterfully is Ephesians 4:29.
"No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear."
Our goal in talking should be to build others up. I think we often undermine the power of our words. We often forget, or just have never thought, that our words do one of two things - build up and edify or tear down. We have immense power at our fingertips. We can do wonderful things for others through our words. We can also do terrible things. We can proclaim Christ with our words, or we can choose not to.
But what does that second phrase in Colossians 4:6 mean? "Seasoned with salt"? How can we season our speech with salt? And why would we even want to? The ESV Study Bible offers an interesting note on this:
"This statement echoes the teaching of Jesus when he called his disciples to be “the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). When applied to conversation, the metaphor suggests speaking in an interesting, stimulating, and wise way."Our words are to be wise, gospel-centered, and Christ-exalting. Now, let's just admit that that's easier said than done. We all struggle with how we speak, in many different ways. Some people struggle with talking too much. Some people struggle with crude joking. Some people struggle with bad language. And all of us struggle with building others up all the time. We all slip, sometimes without even meaning too. But that does not excuse us.
We, like the Colossians, are called to godly, gracious speech. And what's our purpose in that? "So that [we] may know how [we] should answer each person." If we have wise, gracious speech, then when people talk to us, we'll always know how to answer them - graciously, with the intent on building them up.
So let's seek to cultivate godly speech, just like the Colossians. For our words are powerful weapons; we can destroy or save with them. Which will you choose?