Watch the Salt,
Please
By Carolyn
Hulliberger
“Let your
conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,
so that you may know
how to answer everyone.”
Colossians
4:6 (NIV)
Salt. NaCl on the periodic table. Salt enhances
flavor, acts as a preservative, melts ice, prevents infection, but there is one
other power it has…
Too
much salt spoils the dish. [1]
Too
many words can ruin a conversation…or a relationship. As a mom of teenagers, I
am learning, and seemingly re-learning, this constantly. In my desire to
provide guidance and wisdom, the tendency is to jump into a situation, tell the
other person what to think, what action steps to complete and advise what Jesus
would do…all within the framework of my set of experiences. The result of this
approach over time is steadily decreased communication or conversation that
does not go below the surface. This isn’t exclusive to relationships with our
children but also with our friends, co-workers, and our online life on social
media.
The Message paraphrase puts
today’s verse this way: “Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out
the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.” (Colossians
4:6, MSG)
Without
a doubt, as Christ followers, we are called to be salt and light in a dark
world. We often need to speak up about the truth of God and His ways. But we
are also called to be wise with our words. In Karen Ehman’s book, Keep It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It,
and When to Say Nothing At All, she writes: “Our words must glorify God
and not just exalt our own opinions.”
So
I’m learning to measure my words carefully. Asking a question, listening to an
answer, not freaking out, and carefully tailoring my responses with gentleness.
I’m working on remembering the principle that a little salt can go a long
way. And that dumping a lot of salt carelessly will leave a bad taste.
GOING DEEPER:
1. Are there situations in your own life that
need less “salt” than you’ve been using?
FURTHER READING:
[1] For more information on this, consider reading Keep
It Shut: What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All by Karen Ehman, ©2015, Zondervan.
Along
with caring for her family, Carolyn works as an insurance representative, and serves
in Oakwood Church’s Student Ministries with an awesome group of junior high
girls.
