CHOOSE YOUR WORDS CAREFULLY

PROCLAMATION

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”  Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words were written by the apostle Paul, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God, to the believers in the church at Colossae.  In this fourth and final chapter, Paul told them that masters should be fair with slaves because they themselves have a Master in heaven. (Colossians 4:1)  He advised the believers to devote themselves to prayer while being thankful, and he asked them to pray for him. (Colossians 4:2-3)  He then told them to be careful and exercise wisdom when they interacted with non-believers.  He said that their speech should always be full of grace and seasoned with salt, which was a purifying and preserving agent that was used to keep meat before refrigeration.  Then he offered them his farewell greetings. (Colossians 4:7-18)

 

APPLICATION

The unsaved people of the world are watching us and making judgments about all believers, and about Christ, based upon our behavior and conversation.  It behooves us to be careful and wise when we are around them. (Ephesians 5:15)  We need to make the most of every opportunity to be a witness for Christ, and to provide a good example of Christ-like behavior in order to win souls for the kingdom of heaven.  We need to be particularly careful with respect to our conversation and choice of words.  All that we say should be truthful, helpful, inspiring, necessary, and kind.  Our words should have a purifying influence on those who hear us. (Ephesians 4:22 and Philippians 1:27)