"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one."
-Colossians 4:6
Salt? When it comes to seasoning your dish, you're well aware that you need the right amount of salt to enhance and bring out the flavour while not adding enough salt will end up being bland. Salt adds many benefits to your food, one which is keeping your food well preserved.
Christ always seasoned his words well. Something that requires our practice and experience until we learn to create a flavourful conversation.
Paul applies "seasoning with salt" to our conversations, just as Christ used the expression "Salt of the earth" on us as Christians. Salt - being His words, without it, the earth loses its flavour and preservative to save it from spoiling. So when Christ says "You are the Salt of the Earth" it is our responsibility to add flavour to the world and protect it.
We ask ourselves, how can we do that? Where do we begin?
Like any meal comes with a recipe, directions and a lot of practice.
The perfect recipe for a seasoned conversation
1. Grace
First of all, what is grace? According to the dictionary, it is the smoothness and elegance of movement. While in the bible "grace" is the love and kindness that God poured on us as a favour through his salvation, giving us peace in life despite being undeserving.
So how can we speak gracefully?
"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you."
- Ephesians 4:32
When we recognise and experience God's grace, regardless of our sinful natures and imperfection as humans, God still gave us the gift of grace. Undeserving yet still, He accepts us with open arms and loves us unconditionally. We can apply that nature with one another - acceptance, love, forgiveness and kindness. When we approach one another with compassion, love and with grace comes self- control. With self-control we are encouraged to use our words wisely, respond calmly in every situation.
"The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made."
— Psalm 145:8-9
2. Pray
Yes, prayers. Many underestimate the power of prayers. Every time I have a conversation with God, my Father, I'm always aware of how I represent myself in front of Him and how to use my words, a great way to train how to present yourself and approach others. With prayers, I'm able to collect my thoughts and clear my mind from distractions, calming me down to be able to face and respond to any situation. Through prayers I gain self-control, strength and some wisdom.
" Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."
- Proverbs 3:5-6
3. Wear the helmet of salvation, hold the sword of the Spirit.
"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."
- Ephesians 6:17
Being given access to His words is a privilege not everyone has, unfortunately. A powerful tool we take for granted. His words act as a helmet, an essential item in every battle for protection. Helmets are used to protect our heads; with this said, His words protects our minds from evil and toxic thoughts that would cloud our judgments. His word is our sword; the weapon used to kill and defeat enemies (in this case, sins, evil etc.). When it comes to using weapons before battles, we must first train ourselves. That's why with His words not only should we listen to it, but to listen to it carefully, practice it in our daily lives and live in it.
4. Listen first, then speak.
"Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath."
- James 1:19
"Slow to speak, slow to wrath", a piece of helpful advice that we can use to avoid conflicts and regrets yet Many times I failed to take. We need to take the time to listen and hear what others have to say to respond as necessary rather irrelevantly. What is their concern? Their requests? What is their purpose for this conversation? Sometimes when we listen more than we speak leads to the best results. Slow to speak, When we are slow to speak, we give ourselves the chance to think about what we're about to say. How will it affect the situation? And which direction will this conversation take? Doing this will stop us from saying all the wrong things!
Lastly, slow to wrath, the worst thing is when things escalate quickly more than it deserves. The instant you lose your temper that's when you lose control, control of what you're about to say. With anger, you end up saying harsh words, which will harm not just yourself but towards others. That is why we are asked to be "slow to wrath"; we are given the time to collect our thoughts and calm down the instant we get hyped up.
5. Become His reflection
"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness;"
- Genesis 1:26
When you think of God, how do you feel? Peace, love, compassion, self- sacrifice and grace? What do you see? Light? Now when you see yourself, does your image reflect Him?
So many times when I'm in a situation where I'm not sure how to act, I ask myself the golden question that is: What would Jesus do? Would He openly accept that person's presence, or would He turn him away? Would He forgive them? Would He judge them for what they're about to say?
We are a representation of God's image, the reflection of His image to the world; I always keep that in mind. It is an impossible task and a lot of pressure for an unworthy human like myself to handle. To show God's image, it is through good works, acts of service and His words.
6. Smile
I couldn't emphasise this enough - Smile! I always mention the importance of this in almost every blog I've written. Smiling at someone is a small act yet a powerful one that can even save their life!
"Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love."
- Mother Teresa
Smile is a part of the journey of grace. A smile reflects the cheerfulness in your heart and joy. We want to share that joy with the world instead of keeping it to ourselves. What better way to do so than through smiling? As according to Proverbs 15:13 "A happy heart makes the face cheerful.." It is the cure to all the sadness and sorrows in the world.
"Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people."
-Ephesians 6:7
While serving, we need to serve with a smile on our face, to reflect the joy we have in serving and the love we have for one another. That smile gives people hope in life and the light in the darkness.
Paul wants us to apply Christ's request - becoming the salt of the world. Through grace, we gain compassion, love, patience and peace to respond to every situation and questions directed towards us gracefully. And being the salt of the world, we can preserve the world from ruin, giving it the good flavour it deserves.
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