Words

Colossians 4:6   Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.Ephesians 4:29   Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but only that which is good for building up, according to the need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

One day I spoke words, which to my own judgment, were 100% right yet the way I spoke and my attitude were 100% wrong that made the hearer very upset and angry. Yes, what I said was right, no doubt about it! But did that minister anything life to the listener? Though I went into examination mode of what I said, and they were all right, but the result was not right at all. This troubled my heart and I went before the Lord in prayer. The Lord convicted me that I was not right at all in my attitude and I ministered death with all my rightness, I spoke dead words with right words. And later, I went and apologised for what I said. 

That was a big lesson on speaking to me. The Bible verses I knew started popping up one by one. My speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt,  good for building up, according to the need, that it may give grace to those who hear.

How words can curse or bless, how it can hurt or heal, how it can harm or help, all depends on with what attitude and spirit it was spoken. In fact, there may be a need for more carefulness in saying anything to anyone, but the crucial lesson is not how it was spoken or what words were used, instead, it must be by the Spirit of the living God speaking in my speaking.

In the Bible verses  quoted above, "Let" was used in the beginning of what is said after, meaning an imperative is implied in the sentence formation. To my understanding, implying the importance of our speech or words to be always full of grace and seasoned with salt, killing every germ in our words, and speaking only what is good for the building  up of our fellow listener(s). 

Thank the Lord for this lesson of life again. 

Lord, grace me Your words of grace to minister life for building up.