Eastertide
April 24, 2014

Read Scripture: Colossians 4:2-6

Conduct yourselves wisely towards outsiders, making the most of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone. — Colossians 4:2-5 

I must confess that verse six is not included with the other verses of Colossians in the lectionary readings for today. I read it as a part of the paragraph in which it was included and thought it had a lot to say. So, I hope the lectionary police will forgive my tampering by adding it. 

Some people have a “sweet tooth” but I can take or leave sweets. Give me salt. It has apparently always been the case. The pasture fence on our farm was about fifty feet from the back door of our house. The cattle were separated from our yard by a few strands of barbed wire. Just beyond the wire, on the cows’ side, was the salt lick. Dad bought big squares of salt for the cows to consume. It is necessary for their health as it is for our health in limited quantity. When I was about two years old, my mother glanced out the window to check on we kids playing in the yard only to see that I had crawled under the fence and was sitting on the ground licking the salt along with several friendly cows. My mother had a blood curdling scream that she applied mostly when she saw a snake but apparently she also applied it when she saw me amid the cows, “Carl, those cows will kill Marilynn!” My dad was taking a nap on the couch. Abruptly awoken from sleep, he did not notice that the screen door was locked, tore it off its hinges with one stroke, ran through the yard, leaped the fence, and rescued me.  

Tales of my childhood notwithstanding, what does it mean to season gracious speech with salt? Salt makes many things more palatable–period. For me potatoes need salt. Salt also enhances the taste of other foods. Watermelon is good all by itself but add a little salt and it is even better. Salt to the writer of Colossians probably had a more crucial role: food preservation. Salt was the primary preservative for foods before the advent of freezers and canning. 

Our language is like that. Sometimes we add words or take away words to help make what we must say more palatable to the one receiving the words. Bad news often needs the help of such seasoning.  Giving praise for a job well done, however, can be even more meaningful if laced with words of appreciation, for example. Most importantly, our words need to stand the test of time: build bridges of understanding, spread hope and joy, give comfort, and convey the love of Christ to all who hears us. 

Prayer: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Amen—Psalm 19:14 

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of American. Used by permission. All rights reserved.