Seasoned!

Seasoned!

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭4:6‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

As we know, salt is that 'compound in the form of crystals that consists of sodium chloride and is used especially for seasoning or preserving food and in industry'. Salt has domestic and industrial use, and it is a basic requirement for tasty food. That requirement of seasoning is quite relevant to our reflection today, as that is the focus of the verse above. How would you define seasoning? It is the 'substance, especially salt or pepper, that is added to food to improve its flavor'. Again, it appears that you cannot leave out salt when speaking of seasoning. It is even more important to consider that whatever food is to be seasoned right does not need the equivalent amount of salt. You do not add a 500g bowl of salt to 500g of rice, otherwise, no one will get able to eat the rice. There is the right mix of food and salt that is appropriate, and you will only get the mix right by consistent usage and experience. You apply salt and then taste, and then proceed based on your perception and taste. How does this help understand the verse above?

Life needs conversations, or the use of the tongue. It is almost impossible to go a whole day without speaking or communicating with another person, either by word, action, reactions or even inaction. By the words we speak, and even the ones we don't speak, we reveal the contents and state of our hearts. This is where the verse above is important: there is a need for me to work on the quality of my impressions, so that the output can align with God's will. I must ensure that I take care of what leaves a mark on my heart, because whether I know it or not, these marks will be revealed in the process of time. I must be careful to be consistent, because lives are at stake. I cannot afford to be hot today, and then cold the next day. I cannot afford to be undecided on matters of earthly and eternal consequences. I cannot sit on the fence when it comes to the matters that impact the lives of men, because an account will be demanded of me for the decisions and actions I took. 

It is a surrendered heart that can produce seasoned words. These are words that match the occasion, whether it is stormy or windy weather, and even when the skies are blue and clear. This life requires words that heal and build up, not words that tear down. No matter the situation i find myself, I have the grace needed for that phase, and for the person who needs it at the time. I am not sent to everyone at the same time and in the same place, but for all who need to be corrected, encouraged or challenged, there is the right word at the right time for every situation. There are also times when total silence is the right word for that situation. As I depend on the source of grace, I get all I need for life and Godliness. Men are seeking answers to the knotty and complex issues of life, and only by listening to the Wisdom and Power of God can I have the right resources for every situation. Yesterday's supply is not enough for today; I must keep the connection fresh at all times, so that my words, mixed with God's grace, can be blessings to this generation. God's time of favour is here.