Seasoned with Salt

I've been attending a Bible Study for the past several weeks and last night, things kind of exploded. Satan was working extremely hard on those of us in that room-- what a way to know you are doing something right. With things getting a little heated, tempers showed up for the first time. Maybe it's because we've gotten to know each other and we are getting comfortable, but a big part of it is Satan working incredibly hard to sow seeds of doubt and discord among those of us in the study.

When things got a little dicey, I opened my Bible to the book of Colossians and came across chapter 4:5-6.
It reads "Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer each person." I think we as humans have trouble remembering to season our words with salt.

Think about salt for a minute. Salt has many, many uses. We use salt in cooking-- both in creating dishes and by adding it after the dish is prepared. Salt can also be used to help keep us safe. When it snows (not that it does here in South Florida) people go out and salt the sidewalks and the roads. You could use rock salt to make homemade ice cream and a pinch of salt in cookie dough can make the batter a little sweeter. Salt is an important seasoning.

Look at some other uses of salt in the Bible.

Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet."

Mark 9:50 "Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, how will you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another."

Luke 14:34-35 " Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

Wow. Luke 14:34-35 "It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile." Think about that for a second. Salt that has lost its flavor is not suitable for the manure pile.

Now let's apply that to our speech. Colossians 4:5-6 tells us to be careful when speaking with unbelievers (the outsiders). We are to walk with wisdom and speak graciously, seasoning our words with salt. We need to be careful with what we say and especially how we say it. So many times a message is lost because the tone of voice or the body language we use can be considered "hostile." We need to be careful. Words that are not seasoned properly can be the catalyst of someone never coming to the Lord. That is a frightening thought. The words we say, the way we say them can cost a person their soul. So please, please be careful with your words. Remember to keep them Seasoned with Salt.