Colossians 4:1-18
Thursday, 5 November 2020
‘Let your conversation always be full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.’ -Colossians 4:6
In the Epistle to the Colossians, Paul, after explaining all the mysteries of the Godhead, comes down to some very personal instructions that every man/woman should follow if he or she claims to be a disciple of Christ. In Chapters 3 & 4 he lays down rules for Christian living as an individual and as a household. He then finishes the epistle giving the Colossians the final advice on the importance of a GRACIOUS TONGUE. Paul knew that if a man/woman would not control his speech, he/she was bound to malign the name of the Lord. So he encourages us to use words with discretion and wisdom.
So how does one use his / her tongue with sensitivity? Col.4:2 gives us the answer to this question. If we are careful to follow these instructions of Paul, we are sure to become people with a DIFFERENT TONGUE.
Be Prayerful – The more time we spend with God, the more like Him we become. As the hymn writer so beautifully states Take time to be holy, the world rushes on , Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone , By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be , Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see
Luke 6:45 states: ‘For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.’ So if our hearts are filled with His Love and our lives are lived in His presence, our mouths are sure to speak His Words. The next time we falter in this area, we need to check our prayer life.
Be Watchful – Peter warns us in his epistle: ‘your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.’ (1 Peter 5:8) With this in mind we need to constantly be alert so that the enemy would not catch us at a vulnerable point whereby we say things that would shame Our Saviour before many. How then can we escape the enemy’s trap?
Stay in constant communion with the Lord- Gal 5:16 [Walk in the Spirit]
Do not be in a place that will lead us to gossip/slander/ malign others– Always remember – Eph. 4:29 [ No unwholesome talk]
When our emotions run high –Never Forget - Prov. 10:19 [Where words are many…sin is not absent]
Be Thankful - Out of a heart of gratitude would flow words of thankfulness. David in Psalm 34:1 says “I bless God every chance I get…” [The MSG] He could never forget to thank God, who had picked him from tending sheep and made him shepherd his people Israel. On the other hand we see the Israelites who even after experiencing many miracles that God did for them, kept grumbling every time they faced an obstacle. They never thanked Him for their freedom rather kept complaining for lost comforts. How often we tend to behave like them! When was the last time you have thanked God for all that He has given you not focusing on your struggles? A heart of gratitude will be reflected in graceful words.
There are many out there who need to hear graceful words from our lips. May we this day follow these instructions given to the early church so we too would become channels of His Grace to this hurting world.
Quote for the day: Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
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