What Salt Teaches About Speech
Many could testify you just can’t beat your mother’s cooking. One of my favorite dishes she made, hands down, was cabbage. Each bite was bursting with flavor.
I recall my first attempt to cook it on my own. It was in the kitchen of my college dormitory. After watching my mom at the stove for years, surely, my cabbage would taste the same, right?
Nope. Not even close.
It was bland, it was mushy, it was a definitive fail. But I kept at it. After a while, I figured out there were several things that came into play with my future masterpiece. The size of the cabbage, which leaves I used, whether I shredded them finely or left them larger, using broth instead of water, the amount of butter or seasoned meat, and the key, the high point that could make or break the cabbage... the amount of salt.
With too little salt, the dish would be lacking. Using too much, well, the cabbage could be overpowering and unfit for consumption.
Salt doesn't just matter in the kitchen. Paul used it as a picture of how we should interact with others. He writes:
"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 you ought to answer each person" (Colossians 4:5-6 ESV).
Those two verses are packed with plenty of seasoning.
Colossians 4 encourages us to walk wisely and let our speech be gracious and seasoned with salt. Walking in wisdom also means guarding our hearts and remaining rooted in God’s truth (Proverbs 4:23; Colossians 2:6-7). When His truth shapes us, our words and actions can more clearly reflect Christ.
When I became serious about my walk with Christ, a pastor challenged me to examine everything I believed and measure it against Scripture. That simple practice transformed my thinking and continually helps me identify attitudes and patterns that are not aligned with God’s will.
Because opportunities to share the good news of Jesus Christ often come when we least expect them, we must continually seek God’s wisdom so our words reflect both grace and truth. Just as salt enhances a meal, gracious and discerning words can help others more readily receive the message of Christ.
Each day presents countless opportunities for these "salt moments." Whether encouraging a struggling coworker, showing patience to a family member, or responding kindly to the neighbor who repeatedly blocks the driveway, God gives us opportunities to reflect Christ through both our words and actions.
Just as the right amount of salt can transform a simple dish, words seasoned with grace can make a lasting impact on those around us. May God help us use every "salt moment" as an opportunity to share the hope, truth, and love found in Christ.
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Scripture is quoted from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®). ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.
