Colossians 4:5-6
5 Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
What does it mean that our words should be seasoned with salt?
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus said that his disciples are the salt of the earth. However, he further clarifies, if the salt loses its flavor, then it is not doing its job any longer and will be thrown out. The salt has a job, not just a title. If it no longer functions, it is no longer useful.
In essence, this is a teaching about integrity. Your life should reflect who you claim to be. Really, Jesus is saying your life reflects who you truly are.
If you claim to be a Christ follower then your decisions, actions, attitudes, and words ought to reflect that. If they don’t, then you are no longer functioning and producing for the kingdom.
Jesus concludes this thought by saying that the salt that is salty and the light that is shining will impact those around them and they in turn will glorify God.
What we do impacts how others perceive God. What a responsibility!
So, in the same way that it is not helpful to have salt that isn’t salty, it is not ok to bear the name of Christ and not work to be a representation of Christ.
With this context let’s return to what Paul says to the Colossians. We see that Paul is also talking about how we impact “outsiders,” meaning those outside of discipleship with Christ.
In this passage, Paul specifically addresses our speech and conversations with outsiders. The truth about words is that they are never without source, they flow from our hearts.
Matthew 15:18a
“But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart…”
As seasonings change the flavor of a meal, our hearts and attitudes need to be changed by Christ so that our words will be properly seasoned.
It’s the words that flow from a heart that has been transformed by Christ that will accurately represent God to those around you. Are your words well-seasoned?
From Your Fellow Servant,
Steven McFadden
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