Articles
Gracious speech - Col. 4:6
Gracious speech - Col. 4:6
Being in the world but not of the world is difficult. Living in an age where anger and insult has become the norm of conversation, we must strive to be different. Our goal is not different, but godly. Being godly in and ungodly world will show us to be different!
That which comes out of the mouth has its beginning and root in the heart (Matt. 15). As children of God, we long and strive to become like our Father in our character and life.
Christians are supposed to be ‘lights unto the world’. One of the main ways we shine is through communication - talking to people. Words in fact hold much power. "The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.” (Prov. 10:11). "The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die for lack of sense.” (Prov. 10:21). Words however also have power to destroy people: "With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered” (Prov. 11:9).
As the people of a gracious God, our speech then is to be gracious. "Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (Col. 4:6). Strong’s defined this as meaning “1 grace. 1a that which affords joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech. 2 good will, loving-kindness, favour.” (Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon). When we speak (or post on FaceBook), does it produce ‘joy, pleasure, delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness’? If NOT, it is NOT gracious.
While such will not only be truth but they will be spoken in love (Eph. 4:29). Such speech would be full of kindness, self-control, thoughtfulness, and empathy. Such speech is to be filled with and produce the fruit of the Spirit - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Gracious speech is also absent of anger, wrath, malice, slander, deceit, and obscenities (Eph. 4:29).
How do you talk when you are challenged in your beliefs? How do you speak when you become angry? Is God glorified and exalted by our conversation?
Hugh DeLong
