An Old Testament law required that every meat offering be seasoned with salt (Leviticus 2:13). In the New Testament teaching of the Lord in the Sermon on the Mount, He tells us, Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Matthew 5:13. This background from the Scriptures illustrates the importance of salt. I once read a report on the thousands of usages of salt. I was amazed to learn, for example, that eggs have been buried in salt so they would not spoil. An Irishman who was once asked to define salt said, “Salt is what makes the potatoes taste flat when there isn’t any!”
A passage from the book of Colossians contains an important teaching about the life and strength that God brings to us. The third chapter of Colossians deals to a great extent with relationships between people. Verse 18: Wives, be subject to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. No doubt most wives would prefer that we skip over that verse. Verse 19: Husbands, love your wives, and do not be embittered against them. Should we skip that one too? Verse 20: Children, be obedient to your parents in all things, for this is well-pleasing to the Lord. Maybe we had better pass over that one too! Verse 21: Fathers, do not exasperate your children, that they may not lose heart. Should we pass over that verse as well? Verse 22: Slaves (perhaps now we could say “employees,” because nearly everyone is a slave in some way), in all things obey those who are your masters on earth … Perhaps we should skip that one too! Now that we have skipped nearly all of the “touchy” verses, we reach chapter four which talks to the masters.
This reminds me of the story of a young pastor who went to visit a very touchy congregation. All kinds of people were there, who were quite divided in their politics and their involvement in various economic and social fields. There were many prejudices. So the visiting minister asked the older pastor, “What can I preach about?” He studied the situation and finally replied, “Well, why don’t you preach against killing seals in Alaska? We don’t have any problem with that here!” In other words, “Preach against something that does not exist within the congregation.” It is unlikely that you feel as though you are a “master,” so we can preach to the masters! Colossians 4:1: Masters, grant to your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you too have a Master in heaven.
That concludes Paul’s teaching dealing with the various groups that existed in the social strata of his time (and probably of any time). Then verses 2 through 6 contain a blanket, panoramic exhortation which seems to cover every incident, everything that Paul referred to in the book of Colossians: Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; praying at the same time for us as well. Colossians 4:2–3a.
This concentration upon prayer for the apostles is quite scriptural (Romans 15:30; II Corinthians 1:11; Philippians 1:19). The exhortations to pray for the apostles existed from the time of the earliest written epistles. Paul told the Colossians to devote themselves to prayer (for the whole church), but especially praying at the same time for us as well, that God may open up to us a door for the word … Verse 3. It is significant that God burdened the apostles to pray, not for their own welfare—physically, mentally, spiritually, financially, materially, or any other personal way—but rather, they were concerned about only one thing: “Pray for us that God will open the door for the Word,” so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; in order that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Colossians 4:3b–4.
God knows that there are many ways in which the devil can cloud the Word, both in the speaking and in the hearing of it, so that you do not comprehend what God is saying. I continually try to bring forth a Word which seems to be quite clear, yet I am surprised at how few people grasp the full revelation of that Word. For this reason, with great diligence I try to give clarity to the Word as I speak. I well understand Paul’s exhortation: “Pray for me that I can speak the Word the way I ought to speak it, that I can make it clear in the way I ought to speak,” so that the Word comes through to the people as a revelation from God (Colossians 4:3–4).
Along with Paul’s concern about that, he was concerned about the whole realm of speech and the way in which we speak, that we “speak forth the mystery of Christ” (verse 3). He was concerned about utterance in the prayers that are to come forth—in the prayers for the apostles, in the prayers for the door of utterance to be opened up, in the prayers for the Word to be clear when it is spoken.
Then he apparently changed the subject, but he actually did not; Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:5–6. Again, this reference to salt denotes its saving, preserving quality. Jesus said, “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Why did He say that? He was indicating that you are the one element which keeps the world from disintegrating into its own degradation. You are the ones who hold deception back from ruling over the whole earth. It indicates here that one saint, praying, can deter the work of Satan more extensively than you may realize. One person, taking advantage of the glorious opportunity which we have in prayer, and the authority of the name of Jesus, can greatly retard Satan’s activity.
Why don’t you pray more? We tend to concentrate on sophisticated gifts: the ability to prophesy, to speak with a word of wisdom, to have a word with revelation. While all of these are excellent, there is still something each one of us can do, at any time. Paul laid the burden of it upon the saints at Colossae: Pray. Pray for the apostles, that the Word may come forth “clear as they ought to speak it” (Colossians 4:4). Pray for this Word to come forth with boldness. Pray for the Lord to open the door for the Word (Colossians 4:3).
Believe that your speech, too, will be “with grace, seasoned with salt”—having that preserving quality (Colossians 4:6). Do not speak empty words which are only noise, but speak words that are filled with substance. A speech, a sermon, a prayer, or a word you speak can be analogous to a freight train. Many thoughts, concepts, and principles, clearly stated with all utterance in the wisdom of man, can be linked together so impressively that when you behold them you say, “My, what a beautiful train that is; see how it moves!” But open the doors and look in to see if there actually is anything in those “freight cars.” Paul frequently warns us about empty words: thoughts and ideas that seem to flow easily, but are not filled with the Spirit of the Lord (Ephesians 5:6; I Timothy 1:6; Colossians 2:8).
Jesus said that when He spoke, His Words were spirit and they were life (John 6:63). His Words were able to preserve people. He said to His disciples, “Now you are clean through the Word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3). Those were not empty words. In I and II Timothy, Paul talked a great deal about empty words, words to no profit (I Timothy 6:20; II Timothy 2:14, 16). Paul told the Colossians, “Let your speech be seasoned with salt. Seek God for grace—that as you pray for the apostles, you too will speak as you ought to speak” (Colossians 4:3–6). Pray for the grace that you too may know how to respond to every person—that when you give someone a word, it will not be simply a clever response, but something of God will be conveyed in it. When they open up and receive your words, they will find them filled with revelation, with spirit, with love.
People can sense those qualities. They can sense by your tone of voice whether or not you love them. This is true even of a baby. If you were to recite something as meaningless as the alphabet to a little baby, and you did it with love, he would look up and smile at you as though you were speaking the most profound truth in the world. Why? A baby grasps the spirit underlying your words.
Jesus said, “My Words are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63). We must pray for more than to be filled with the Holy Spirit and to speak with other tongues (Acts 2:4). I have seen people who were “filled with the Spirit and spoke with other tongues” turn around and speak words that were freighted with bitterness, criticism, gossip, and malice. Maliciousness filled every idea they tried to convey. Even when they tried to convey a compliment to a person, their words would cut him down. Pray that your words will be “filled with grace, seasoned with salt, that you will know how to speak to every man” (Colossians 4:6). Reject sarcasm. It is a habit, a certain response of the heart that reaches out to thrust another through, rather than reaching out in love to bless him.
Bridle your tongue by the Holy Spirit (Psalm 39:1; James 3). Declare, “Lord, the Words that You give me are anointed; I will speak them with grace, and they will convey a blessing.” Blessings are conveyed by words. Empty words will not convey a blessing. However, by laying hands on people and speaking to them, gifts can be imparted to them. You do not yet realize what you can do through your words. If you have faith and grace in your heart, you can convey that to another person. By a word, you can give what you have. Everything that the Lord gives to us, He gives by a Word. “The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). In other words, what God intended to speak and convey of Himself, He placed in Jesus Christ; He is called the Living Word (John 1:1). If you open your heart to these truths, you will say, “It is more important for me to analyze and judge my speech than I have realized.” Romans 10 contains an important key: “How shall they believe unless someone is sent and they hear it? Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ” (verses 14–17). It must be Christ speaking through you!
The Lord is still very much concerned about the quality of our speaking. Many sermons have come and gone—and done nothing. But when Christ is conveyed in the word you speak, faith can come to the heart which hears it. Faith can be transmitted to that heart, and you will be surprised at the results. Be careful that your speaking is not like a duel, whereby with your words you spar with someone. Listen to him. The moment you see an opening, drop in a love word, a faith word. Do not speak empty words; let your speech be “seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to respond to every man” (Colossians 4:6).
You cannot do this until your own heart is full. Have faith. Believe the Lord. “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly.” Then “speak to yourselves in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Colossians 3:16). Out of your words will flow the fullness of the Lord that dwells in you.