Colossians__4

Scripture

Colossians 4:6

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to respond to answer everyone.

 

Observation

Paul finishes his letter with some final remarks and greetings, and within these remarks he makes comment of conversation with others. He also finishes his letter off by granting grace to all those who read it, which also seems to be what he urges others to do in conversation with one another.

 

Understanding

So imagine with me for a second a girl who is extremely competitive… just imagine, she’s totally made up… maybe…

Anyway, in elementary school she would get so upset if she lost a game of four square that she would take the ball and chuck it across the playground. Simply because, if she couldn’t play, no one could… then all the little kids would tell on Allison… errr I mean… they would tell on girl and she should get in trouble by the yard duty (who may or may not have been her mom). Okay you can stop imagining now.

This is how I picture our political climate right now. Everyone is so competitive with their opinions that they completely disregard the other opinion (or the other people playing four square). But Paul says to let our conversations be full of grace. Grace is something that was freely granted to us, so it should be just as easily poured on others in conversation even when their viewpoint may not match our own. I might even go further as to say especially when they their viewpoint does not match our own.

The Message translation puts it this way:

Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. The way I’ve been thinking about it is that we have been taking the wrong weapons to the fight against our nation. We have responded to hate with more hate, rather than combatting it with love. We should not seek to limit conversation with people, but instead encourage it in a healthy and productive manner. Of course I have to quote a historical figure, as I always do, so in the great words of Martin Luther King Junior: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

 

Life Application

I know that more than ever loving is easier said than done, but here’s where you can start: before taking to social media consider those who are following you, rather than stirring the pot look to have meaningful and gracious conversations in person. Intentionally work harder to be understanding and loving in these crazy times. Do an act of kindness for someone! Who knows maybe it will spill over and create a ripple effect.

-Allison Khan