"Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone."
(Colossians 4:6)
(Colossians 4:6)
I think the Bible views salt a bit differently than we do today. We use it (sparingly!) as a food condiment. Period. (Well, unless we've got a slug problem, that is!) And more and more of us are on low-sodium diets, as well. But it's different in the Bible. Jesus tells his disciples that they're to be "the salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13). I always understood this as a metaphor to "flavor the world" with our Christlikeness. But then I started finding other passages about salt...
Mark 9:50 - "Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another." (Perhaps a caution not to "fight" over theology/doctrine/religion?)
Leviticus 2:13 - "You shall not omit from your grain offerings the salt of the covenant with your God; with all your offerings you shall offer salt." (There are numerous Old Testament passages requiring salt with sacrificial offerings - there's something HOLY here!)
2 Chronicles 13:5 - "Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?" (Binding promises required salt!)
Ezra 4:13 - "...because we share the salt of the palace and it's not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor..." (indication of being an "insider"?)
2 Kings 2:19-22 - This is a story of how Elisha uses salt to purify the "bad water" of Jericho (healing/purifying properties of salt?)
Plus numerous references to salt-lands and the Valley of Salt. (Not to mention Lot's wife's infamous ending!!!)
Sacrificial offering.
Covenant.
Inclusion.
Purification.
SALT!
Seen in these contexts, maybe Paul was trying to say something quite profound about how we, as Christians, should speak to others?
Sacrificially...
Inclusively...
As one who's invested int he future of the other...
Speaking words that heal and purify those with whom we speak.
Wow. Pass the salt!
PRAYER: Oh my LORD, what a joy to discover new depth to familiar words in scripture. Salt, eh? May I remember to have "salty speech" not just today, but everyday. With my family... with my church members... with my fellow soccer parents... with the people I see in Starbucks... even with myself! Guide my words so they do not bring shame to you. AMEN.
Mark 9:50 - "Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another." (Perhaps a caution not to "fight" over theology/doctrine/religion?)
Leviticus 2:13 - "You shall not omit from your grain offerings the salt of the covenant with your God; with all your offerings you shall offer salt." (There are numerous Old Testament passages requiring salt with sacrificial offerings - there's something HOLY here!)
2 Chronicles 13:5 - "Do you not know that the LORD God of Israel gave the kingship over Israel forever to David and his sons by a covenant of salt?" (Binding promises required salt!)
Ezra 4:13 - "...because we share the salt of the palace and it's not fitting for us to witness the king's dishonor..." (indication of being an "insider"?)
2 Kings 2:19-22 - This is a story of how Elisha uses salt to purify the "bad water" of Jericho (healing/purifying properties of salt?)
Plus numerous references to salt-lands and the Valley of Salt. (Not to mention Lot's wife's infamous ending!!!)
Sacrificial offering.
Covenant.
Inclusion.
Purification.
SALT!
Seen in these contexts, maybe Paul was trying to say something quite profound about how we, as Christians, should speak to others?
Sacrificially...
Inclusively...
As one who's invested int he future of the other...
Speaking words that heal and purify those with whom we speak.
Wow. Pass the salt!
PRAYER: Oh my LORD, what a joy to discover new depth to familiar words in scripture. Salt, eh? May I remember to have "salty speech" not just today, but everyday. With my family... with my church members... with my fellow soccer parents... with the people I see in Starbucks... even with myself! Guide my words so they do not bring shame to you. AMEN.
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