Monday, September 16, 2013

Seasoned with salt

As Christians, is our conversation seasoned with salt?  I have been hit really hard with this question lately. Is my conversation seasoned with salt and full of grace?

Colossians 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." (NIV)

According to the Bible it should be!  As a cook, this verse hits home.  Salt can add something to the food in a significant way.  I was once told by a dear friend, if you think your food tastes like it is missing something-add some salt. I have found this to be true.  Is our conversation missing grace? Grace is the salt to our conversations, we need to make sure it is in all of our conversations.
I have seen so many young children committing suicide because people are bullying them.  Are we teaching our children how to be full of grace, and their speech to be seasoned with salt?  Are we teaching them to help those in need? Are we teaching them to "be kind to one another?"  I hope that we are, I really do.  I hate to see all these young lives gone because no one stood by them, and they felt they were all alone in this world.  We need to make sure we are reaching the lost.

Ephesians 4:32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

I am reminded in my daily life, with my children, that I need to let my conversation be full of grace.  Because Jesus offered me grace and mercy, I should also do the same for them.  After all, children learn best when they see something in action.  They do not do just as we say(in fact we could turn blue telling them something), but will most often follow our lead.  We need to step up and lead them in the correct direction. Are we teaching them how to speak? Are we teaching them how to answer another without offense?  Are we teaching them what it means to be kind, and compassionate? Do they know what true forgiveness is?

Speech is something that can cut straight to some one's heart.  We need to think about what we are going to say before it is said, so that is may be seasoned with salt.  We need to show the love of Christ not just in our actions, but also in our speech. When we stop and think we are letting our speech be seasoned, we are thinking about how to answer according to God's Word.  When we think, we are doing just as God commanded. Is it full of love and compassion?

I don't just see bullying when it involves young children.  Goodness, I see it so much in the mommy circle it isn't even funny.  AND we are GROWN adult women caring for children.  We should be raising them up according to HIS Word!  They should not see us bickering with other moms because they don't breastfeed, or don't use cloth diapers.  OR just maybe they have to work and don't have the blessing and the gift of being able to stay home with their children(because it is truly a gift and a blessing from God to be able to stay home with your children, no matter their age).   Let us please remember we are each called to something different as a mom.  Each of our circumstances is different. 

When we speak to each other we need to make sure it is FULL of grace, because let's face it what mother doesn't need a huge helping of grace each and every day?  Which person doesn't need a FULL helping of grace when we are speaking with them?  We don't know their circumstances, we don't know what they have or don't have.  They could be falling apart on the inside.
Please I beg of you, let your conversations be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone!  Let God's Word shine forth in your life.  Be the light for the lost, and stand up for those in need, and even those who may not "appear" to be in need. We all need the Lord and we all need grace. DAILY!

Dear Father,
I pray that you will let my speech be full of grace, and seasoned with salt.  Help me to please think before speaking so that I may know how to answer everyone.  Help me to encourage those around me, and to help those in need.  To be kind and compassionate. I thank you Lord for giving me the strength to do all things through your power.  I also thank you for showing me grace and mercy on a daily basis.  I would not be where I am today without your grace.  Please help me to show others the same grace you have shown me, so they may in turn be pointed in your direction.  Make me a light to the world.
Amen

1 comment: