Talking is Everything. Nothing will have a bigger impact on your life and future than your conversations. Are you a good talker? Are you a good listener? First, let me recommend we all become better listeners. Make an effort. PRACTICE LISTENING.
“Let each one of you be QUICK TO HEAR, slow to speak, and slow to become angry” James 1:19.
But we must also become better talkers. Jesus sends us to light the darkness. We are His ambassadors of love and hope. But we can only share love and hope if people are willing to listen to us. We must earn their attention. We must live in a way that makes them curious to know more about us; our life and words should compel them to listen. Words matter—yes, the actual words you choose. They leave an impression.
“You must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth” Colossians 3:8.[1]
Paul then leaves the subject of conversation and goes on to provide a great deal of advice about how we should conduct ourselves as believers. But in the next chapter he returns to the question of speech:
“Your speech should always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person” Colossians 4:6.
Does Paul expect you to use a professor’s vocabulary? Or to speak like a master orator? Does he expect Christians to weave famous quotes and funny anecdotes into their conversations? Does Paul expect you to talk like Shakespeare, Perry Mason, or Walter Cronkite? No. Be yourself. There’s something dishonest about trying too hard anyway.
Paul simply asks two things of our speech:
(1) put away anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language, and
(2) speak graciously, seasoning grace into your words as a chef might season salt into a meal, responding to each person with some sensitivity.
In other words, clean up your words and talk to people with kindness and grace.
Can you do that? Can you stop using questionable language? And can you season grace into your conversations, responding to people with sensitivity and kindness?
Remember, not only will good speech bless those around you, but it will also bless you. Few things will have a greater impact on your future than your skill in conversation. Start by listening well and cleaning up the language.
ΑΩ
[1] By the way, lest you think Paul is obsessed with naughty words, the list that culminates with filthy language begins with other things: “Put to death … sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry” Colossians 3:5.
Household Words: 