Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one. Colossians 4:6
The tongue is a relatively small member of the body but it has been created by God to be a very powerful, if not at times the most powerful member thereof. When the Lord set out to create everything that has been created, He used the spoken word. God said, “Let there be light.” And there was light!
In the eighteenth chapter of Proverbs, we see that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Jesus, in the twelfth chapter of Matthew teaches us that we will be justified or condemned by our words. We not only believe in our heart but we must also confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord.
James tells of the difficulty in taming the tongue, as it were. Even though it is such a small member, it can be quite unruly at times and hard to control. Most everyone has said something somewhere along the way that they would rather have not said once they have had time to reflect upon the matter.
In our verse today, we see some imperatives for Christians. Once you are born-again, you belong to the Lord; you were bought at a price. You are no longer a slave of sin but a bought-and-paid-for child of the Most High God. Jesus paid the price for your redemption with His perfect sacrifice on the cross. That means that your words are not to be your own, but rather the words the Lord gives you to say.
The first ingredient in this special speech seasoning is grace — favor that is not deserved. It is by grace that we are saved, so without words of grace, we are not giving others the words by which they can be saved. Show the same grace in your words to others that God has shown to you and you will see a supernatural response!
That grace is good, but it needs another ingredient to be complete: salt. Your speech should always be seasoned with salt. Throughout the Bible, we see the importance of salt, even in the offerings presented to the Lord. Salt represents a commitment of friendship and the sealing of an agreement or covenant. Sitting at someone’s table and eating salt with them is a big deal!
Salt adds flavor to that which would otherwise be tasteless or at least less tasteful. Jesus used words that people could relate to as He ministered to them. It was never dull or boring because it had the spice of life interwoven in the words. Salt also has preserving properties for food as well as adding flavor. Seasoned words will never spoil or go bad!
Salt is used therapeutically, for it contains healing properties for the body. Through your words the Lord can bring healing to a wounded soul or a broken heart. When your words are seasoned with salt, they are no longer mere words but a healing balm from the Lord. Let your words be the Lord’s words, covered in heavenly speech seasoning!
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