Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. ~Colossians 4:6
If you think about it from the perspective of many unbelieving Americans, faithful Christians come off as weird. The message we believe is strange. One man from a backwater province in the Roman Empire who lived almost two thousand years ago died on a cross, rose again, and now sits on the throne in heaven, ruling the world to save the world from sin. How does that make sense? It is foolishness to them. We speak in odd ways to one another. We take membership in the church with utmost seriousness. We live in ways that are out of step with the mainstream. This message has been foolishness to them from our earliest days (see 1 Cor 1:18).
The message we believe and proclaim is weird. We don’t need to make it weirder by being unable to interact with the world around us with basic social skills or being unnecessarily off-putting in the name of “boldness.” While never compromising the gospel at any point, we need to live among unbelievers in attractive ways, even if they are ultimately repulsed by beauty. To accomplish the kingdom mission God gave us, we must strive to live this way.
Closing out the main body of his letter to the Colossians, Paul tells the Colossian Christians that their speech should always be “with grace, seasoned with salt so that [they] may know how [they] ought to answer each person” (Col 4:6). Paul’s imperative is given within the context of walking in wisdom toward outsiders (Col 4:5). Since outsiders–those who are outside of the church–are our mission, he assumes that we will be interacting with them in the normal course of life. We are not holed up in our Benedictine (or Essene) communes, but we are rubbing shoulders with unbelievers at work, in the market, on social media, and in other normal cultural activities.
The way we speak should be characterized by salty grace. The grace of which Paul speaks may include what we consider graciousness, winsomeness, or charm. We are to speak to outsiders in a manner that isn’t meant to punch them in the face, make them angry for the sake of getting their attention, or be needlessly provocative. We are to speak in a way to persuade them (see 2 Cor 5:11). Being winsome … yes, I wince when I use that word, but it is a perfectly good word … being winsome and gracious shouldn’t come with the expectation that the kindness will be reciprocated. Nevertheless, we are obligated to speak as graciously as possible. However, we are never to use graciousness as an excuse to compromise the truth or refuse to say what needs to be said. We must stand firm on the truth that Jesus is Lord, that he demands total allegiance, and he forbids certain lifestyles, but we are to do so in a way that is aimed at communicating grace. This grace is the grace that is aimed at building the other person up (Eph 4:29).
Many fire-breathing Christians will point to Peter, Paul, and Jesus as examples of boldness. They were bold, but you must consider their contexts. Were they speaking to individuals or groups? Were they speaking in a religious or pagan setting? Did they barge in on people and demand a hearing, or were they in places where they were expected to speak? Sometimes, abrasive boldness is needed, depending on the person and situation. Sometimes, gentle words turn away wrath. Wise speech accounts for your relationship with the person, his situation, and how he will hear what is said. Blasting people all the time may be more of a personal statement than it is about winning the other person.
The salt in this grace may refer to making the speech palatable. There is evidence in Greek literature that it was used this way. But Paul thinks Scripturally. Salt is “solid fire” that is associated with the covenant and its offerings (see Lev 2:13; Num 18:19). (The fact that salt is fire may not be seen by Southerners too much, but people who have winters with snow and ice know that salt melts both of them. Salt will also scorch grass. I’ve heard you can write messages in people’s yards with salt, but that wouldn’t be gracious.) We are to speak in such a way as to prepare others to be offered up as a living sacrifice to God. The offering’s purpose was peace with God, which is our aim in speaking with outsiders.
As you consider ways to be a bold witness for Christ, consider whether or not the way you are speaking is appropriate for persuasion. Are your public demonstrations effective communication, or does it only make you feel better because you believe you are “doing something?” Is your “bold speech” to your co-workers creating unnecessary distance between you and them? Can you approach them differently without compromise, seeking to persuade them? Are you bold, or are you just annoying?
Paul assumes that we will be speaking to bear witness for Christ. That is non-optional. But we must always consider the people and context and speak with the appropriate salty grace.
