SPEECH SEASONED WITH SALT (2)

“Let the WORD of CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another...” – Colossians 3:16a

SPEECH SEASONED with SALT is such speech that flows from the Indwelling Word of God: “Let the WORD of CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col.3:16). Paul’s instruction in Colossians 4:6 to let our “speech always be with Grace, seasoned with salt” is not a call for cosmetic or superficial application of salt. If food isn’t salted properly, no amount of fancy cooking gimmicks or garnishes will make up for it. Shaking salt over baked bread or cooked food after the fact will produce a salty disgusting substitute for seasoning food from within.

Apostle Paul offers a helpful picture of speech salted from within by the Word of Christ dwelling in us richly and saturating our hearts. Such well-seasoned speech overflows as psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Speech seasoned with salt is always a HEART-MOUTH matter: “The MOUTH of the righteous speaks wisdom, and his tongue talks of justice. The law of his God is in his HEART; none of his steps shall slide” (Psa.37: 30-31). Peter instructed: “But sanctify the Lord God in your HEARTS: and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1Pet.3:15). Luke 6:45b also says: “For out of the abundance of the HEART his MOUTH speaks.” At every opportunity, our aim should be Word-saturated, gospel-infused speech.

Proverbs, the Book of Wisdom speaks much on God-glorifying communication: “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness in it breaks the spirit...The lips of the wise disperse knowledge, but the heart of the fool does not do so” (Pro.15:4,7). “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth, and adds learning to his lips. Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones” (Pro.16:23-24). “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Pro.25:11). Ecclesiastes 10:12 also says, “The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious, but the lips of a fool will swallow him up.” God demands edifying and gracious words from His children.

Regardless of how people respond, there is never a time when it is fitting for a Believer in Christ to be ungracious. Nor is there an unbelieving person undeserving of, or not in need of, gracious, well-salted speech. We should learn to talk about everyday things in a way that honours Christ. Our manner of speaking should be different from the way unbelievers talk: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers” (Eph.4:29). Our continual posture in the use of our words, spoken or written, should be humble, wise, gracious, and God-glorifying.