May 19
Let Your Speech
Be Gracious
Colossians 4:6
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Daily Steps
Words are the currency of relationships, and their quality determines the level of peace we maintain. This verse gives the new believer a simple formula for transforming their communication into a source of relational harmony: Let your conversation be always full of grace.
The peace in this discipline is found in its flavor and preparation:
The Flavor of Grace: Conversation must be "always full of grace." Grace is unmerited favor. When you speak with grace, you extend kindness and courtesy even when others don't deserve it. This eliminates the need for harshness, gossip, or criticism, which are the main destroyers of peace.
Seasoned with Salt: The conversation should also be "seasoned with salt." Salt, in this context, makes the conversation flavorful, preserved (wholesome), and prevents tasteless or bland interaction. It implies that graceful speech should also be wise, relevant, and well-timed—never boring, but never destructive.
The Result is Wisdom: The ultimate purpose is "so that you may know how to answer everyone." When you speak with grace and wisdom, you are equipped to handle any interaction, whether it's giving a difficult response, sharing the Gospel, or simply offering a kind word. This preparation removes the anxiety of not knowing how to respond.
Your relational peace is secured by the intentional quality of your words. When you choose to speak with grace, you ensure that your communication builds up, preserves harmony, and honors God.
Reflective Question
If you review your last difficult conversation, did your words have the flavor of grace or the sting of bitterness? How can you purposefully speak with grace, seasoned with salt, in one specific conversation today to create peace?
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess my words are often careless and tasteless. I pray for the discipline to speak as You would. May my conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that my words bring healing, not harm. May this wisdom in communication secure my relationships and bring me inner peace. Amen.
