Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:5, 6 (New American Standard Bible)
One day many years back I was at the back of a local supermarket picking up some milk. Suddenly I heard a man at the front of the store screaming at the top of his lungs that everyone who had not believed on Jesus was vile a person and was going to burn in hell. I can still remember how angry it made me. I hot-footed it toward the front of the store with every intention of publicly rebuking this man for his insensitivity. By the time I got there he was already out the door. He more than likely thought he’d just done God a big service by his “preaching.” As I surveyed the scene at the registers it was as I had feared. Most were shaking their heads and looking at each other with that mocking “just another religious nut” look. My heart was so grieved. Jesus Christ offers so much more than a crazed spiritual existence. Among the many benefits through Him are peace, love and a sound mind.
While Jesus did preach to groups of folks the most expressive complement He paid to another was to sit and dine with them. This was one of the most relational things a person in Jesus’ time could do. He became their friend and ministered to their need. Remember Zaccheus? Jesus didn’t attack him verbally but wanted to get to know him on a personal level in his home. And it is so much more personal and life changing to have someone accept you for who you are and offer you something that can change your eternal perspective. There are plenty of religious nuts out there but a turn-or-burn attitude never goes far in expressing the love of our Savior. It is no wonder so many people are repulsed by the message we bring; not so much to the truth of it but to how it is delivered. Paul says to let our conversation be grace seasoned with salt, not condemnation.
That’s the nuts of the message. The bolts of it are to be as salty as seawater in our delivery. Sharing Good News in a loving and personal way is spiritual salt. Those who taste what we offer and model will thirst for what we have. Only God can quench that thirst. Grace seasoned with salt. Just add Living Water.
Ken
devotionstoday.blogspot.com
While Jesus did preach to groups of folks the most expressive complement He paid to another was to sit and dine with them. This was one of the most relational things a person in Jesus’ time could do. He became their friend and ministered to their need. Remember Zaccheus? Jesus didn’t attack him verbally but wanted to get to know him on a personal level in his home. And it is so much more personal and life changing to have someone accept you for who you are and offer you something that can change your eternal perspective. There are plenty of religious nuts out there but a turn-or-burn attitude never goes far in expressing the love of our Savior. It is no wonder so many people are repulsed by the message we bring; not so much to the truth of it but to how it is delivered. Paul says to let our conversation be grace seasoned with salt, not condemnation.
That’s the nuts of the message. The bolts of it are to be as salty as seawater in our delivery. Sharing Good News in a loving and personal way is spiritual salt. Those who taste what we offer and model will thirst for what we have. Only God can quench that thirst. Grace seasoned with salt. Just add Living Water.
Ken
devotionstoday.blogspot.com
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