Faithful, Gracious Speech (Colossians 4:6)
- Patrick Dirrim
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. —Colossians 4:6
Salt has been essential to mankind for thousands of years. Before refrigeration it was used as a preservative, lengthening the time food could be stored. And it has always been used for seasoning, providing flavor and enhancing the taste of many foods.
In our Fighter Verse this week, Paul instructs Christians season their speech with grace, just like many of us season our French fries with salt. The grace in our speech serves much the same function as salt.
Paul is not the only person in the New Testament to stress the importance of a Christian’s speech. Jesus’ brother James, and Jesus himself, does, too (James 3:1-12, Matthew 12:36). The words that come from our mouths should represent and reflect the God who purchased us.
Empty of anger
Many of us struggle with wanting to react to our circumstances with pointed barbs from a sharp tongue, to either defend ourselves or tear down someone who has made us angry. Paul tells us to guard our words so we don’t succumb to making such outbursts. Instead, we are to respond charitably and winsomely (James 1:20, Proverbs 15:1).
Full of truth
A gracious word should also be one that is full of truth. This verse doesn't mean that we should only be concerned with not offending or ruffling someone’s feathers. That’s not the model we see in Scripture. Both Paul and Jesus offended some when they spoke words of truth (Galatians 4:16; John 8:43-47).
It is a gracious word when a brother calls out a sin in my life that I haven’t acknowledged or observed. It is a gracious word when someone is called to repent and put their faith and trust in Jesus. And yet, these firm words should be charitably and winsomely delivered to avoid adding barriers that might make painful truths even harder to accept.
The one who seeks to respond rather than react, who doesn’t deviate from the truth in his response, is the one who knows “how [he] ought to answer each person.” May this guide us as we seek to steward our mouths and words faithfully.
For Reflection
If you are active online, consider: how do your postings come across? Many of us are strong in truth but weak in charity and winsomeness. How are you faring in this area?
If you are a parent, in what ways does your speech need to be more seasoned with grace toward your children?
Ask the Lord to bring this verse to your mind this week when circumstances tempt you to lash out with your words.
Pat Dirrim and his wife Barbara helped start Grace Fellowship church in Cumming, Georgia 20 years ago. They have worshipped there ever since, outside of the two years when they served as missionaries in Guatemala. They've been married for 29 years and have seven children, three of whom remain at home, and one grandson. Grace Fellowship has been using Truth78 curriculum from the start and the Dirrims have introduced it to many other churches, as well as trained others how to use it.