Minute Musings...Seasoned With Salt

Have you ever heard this saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all?"
I heard this a lot growing up, and as a result so did my children!   There is a little rhyme
that I also heard a lot, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt
me."  This is so untrue!  The cruel sting of words will last far beyond the bruises to ones
body, and have a more damaging affect then sticks or stones could ever produce!

Colossians 4:6  "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye
may know how ye ought to answer every man."

The dictionary definition of grace is the following:  "Charm;  attractiveness; easy and
refined motions and manners, etc. favor, merciful; pleasing."  Our speech should be
always filled with grace to the hearer.  In this way, we will stand out from the world...
the filth of the worlds speech should be the polar opposite of the child of Gods.

What does "seasoned with salt" mean?  Anyone that spends any time in the kitchen,
knows that the food has a pleasant taste when it is seasoned properly.  An under-
seasoned meal is bland and repugnant to ones pallet.  Our speech should be properly
seasoned, so that one is not put off by what we have to say.  What do we "season" our
speech with?  Kindness, mercy, compassion, love, sympathy, empathy and grace.  We
should, through our speech be showing Christ to the unsaved around us!
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How many times have we said something in the heat of the moment only to regret it
later?  Our mouths can get us into so much trouble!  There is a children's chorus that
goes like this, "Oh be careful little tongue what you say, Oh be careful little tongue
what you say.  There's a Father up above, Who is looking down in love, So be careful
little tongue what you say."  Very good advice for both old and young alike!

Another thing I was told growing up, was to think before I spoke.  That is still splendid
advice today.  We are warned in the book of James about the damage an untamed tongue
can do.

James 3:5 & 8  "Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things,
behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!  But the tongue can no man tame;
it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison."

Today, take the time to commit what comes out of your mouth to the Lord.  Through the
power of the tongue, we can make or break someones day!  Resolve, with the Lords help
today, to have your speech full of grace and correctly seasoned for the hearer.

Psalms 19:14  "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be
acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."