Press the arrow to listen to “Kindness” by Chris Tomlin as you read today’s devotion on well-seasoned words.

Scripture
Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6

Observation
Ungarnished popcorn won’t travel far. But sprinkle it with salt and butter and it will go by the handful. Seasoning is everything not just with food but also with our words.

Paul made a promise for us: If we take time to craft our words well, God will teach us what to say next. Our seasoning is grace. We could prattle off definition of grace: love we don’t deserve. But what does grace sound like in a speech bubble?

It is focused on others and not on itself.
It forgives slights and slices.
It is unquenchably cheerful.
It feels what others hurt and heals.
It understands and then is understood.
It finds a spark and blows on it.
It uses the punctuation of thankfulness.
It gives what is not deserved.

The bottom line is this: those who have experienced grace, speak graciously.

Gracious people are used by God because he can trust them with the script he writes into daily conversation. When we take time to season our words with grace God will give us what to say next.

Application
All too often, my words leave the kitchen of my heart preparation without the sprinkling of grace. Anyone can be well behaved in public words, but what about those to the people closest to us?  I need to travel with salt and use it liberally.

Prayer
Father, help me to remember to keep seasoning every bite. Amen.