The Hospitable Leader DevotionalExemplo

Yesterday we reflected on our need to speak truth in love. Today’s passage emphasizes the same point, yet adds an interesting caveat. In this passage, the same author of Ephesians, Paul, is encouraging the church in the city of Colossae to practice the teachings of Jesus. At this point, Paul is in prison yet is still able to proclaim the “mystery of Christ” to those who haven’t heard. Then he asks people to pray that he will proclaim it clearly when he does have the chance. A part of this same flow of thought, he encourages the church (and you get the clear sense he’s encouraging himself with the same words) to ensure they’re wise in their interactions toward “outsiders,” or those who don’t yet know the truth of Christ, and that they don’t miss any opportunities. In order to not miss opportunities, their speech should be “seasoned with salt.” Salt, in ancient times, was especially important, as it was the primary preservative, as well as a means to make food flavorful. He also says to make sure your speech is “full of grace,” and in that time “graceful speech” connoted having your speech “honeyed,” or full of flavor. And graceful, honeyed, salted speech wasn’t a luxury; it was essential to being able to answer those “outsiders” who had questions about the faith! Paul essentially says, “Make the most of your opportunity with outsiders who don’t know the meaning of the Gospel and have questions about it. If you make your answers flavored and palatable, you will be able to answer everyone.”

Two points, among many, can be pulled from this. First, how prepared are you to answer the questions that “outsiders” have about the Christian faith? When they ask about the historical resurrection of Christ, or the importance of the Scriptures, or why prayer matters, or about the relationship between science and faith, are you ready to “make the most of every opportunity”? Paul tells us we need to have “answers,” and he certainly did!

Second, we can apply Paul’s method to evangelizing to many areas truth-sharing. We know the importance of speaking truth. But if the truth we speak is not seasoned, then it’s unpalatable. Making it seasoned doesn’t mean watering it down, avoiding the difficult bits and pieces of truth. If anything, it means enhancing the flavor, even if it’s difficult, so that someone fully understands both the propositional truth provided and the love present in it. When we do this, we’re able to provide satisfying, flavorful answers to those seeking the truth from us, allowing communion between peoples even if at a moment of disagreement.