The following is a sample Bible Verse of the Day (BVD) daily devotional
BVD 10/2/06 "Add some salt to that grace or some grace to that salt"
Bible Verse of the Day
6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:6
In the Apostle Paul's letter to the church at Colosse, he gives advice on how they are to relate to one another. He talks about how they can approach living holy in their lives. Paul's message to the early church continues to apply today, with just as much relevance as ever before.
Paul tells us to let our conversation be full of grace. I looked up the word grace from the original Hebrew language to see if my understanding of the word was the same today as it was in Paul's time. The Hebrew word for grace is Charis (pronounced khar'-ece) which means:
That which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech.
Good will, loving-kindness, favor of the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.
In other words to treat others with mercy and kindness, to build them up in the love of the Lord.
Paul goes on to remind us that our words are to be seasoned with salt, which reminds us that we are to speak truth in all that we say and do.
To speak false statements with grace is not the intent, but to speak truth with loving kindness. If we were to walk around speaking well intentioned lies what kind of message would that send to the people around us?
Also what kind of witness would it be to speak to others with only salty words without grace?
Just as Paul writes their must be an appropriate balance between the two.
Notice how Paul finishes the passage telling us that when we are able to speak truth with grace we are able to answer to anyone and everyone.
I know that as I look back I have fell into either trap of speaking with salt-less grace or speaking with graceless salt and neither one of those ways have worked out very well. The most productive conversations I have ever had are when I have bit the bullet (and at times my tongue) and followed the principle that Paul has laid before us.
I don't know where you are today, maybe there is a conversation that is pending that needs to be had that you have been avoiding or in the new opportunities that come your way today, follow Paul's words of advice and approach them with grace, that is seasoned with salt and pray for God to lead the way.
Have a blessed day, Sam
