Be Nice
May 8, 2014//
Topics to Dig Into
Colossians
4:6 (NLT) – Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will
have the right response for everyone.
4:6 (NLT) – Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will
have the right response for everyone.
Here’s good, practical advice for
Christian living: engage in gracious and
attractive conversation. Right? Be
nice. Be happy. That’s easy!
But wait a minute. Another
translation instructs our conversations to be “always full of grace, seasoned
with salt” which means much more.
Remember that grace is undeserved
love, acceptance and forgiveness. Being full of grace is hard. Being always
full is even harder. Gracious
conversation is active outreach, not simply
a plastic smile through gritted teeth.
Christian living: engage in gracious and
attractive conversation. Right? Be
nice. Be happy. That’s easy!
But wait a minute. Another
translation instructs our conversations to be “always full of grace, seasoned
with salt” which means much more.
Remember that grace is undeserved
love, acceptance and forgiveness. Being full of grace is hard. Being always
full is even harder. Gracious
conversation is active outreach, not simply
a plastic smile through gritted teeth.
What is salty conversation? Salt makes food taste better. A well seasoned dish stands out and is more
desirable than ordinary fare. It’s
delicious and hits the spot. So what is
salty conversation? Good. Attractive. Uncommon.
Satisfying. In our culture,
conversation that is full of grace is already pretty unique, but is that
enough?
desirable than ordinary fare. It’s
delicious and hits the spot. So what is
salty conversation? Good. Attractive. Uncommon.
Satisfying. In our culture,
conversation that is full of grace is already pretty unique, but is that
enough?
The Message translation says
this: The goal is to bring out the best
in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.
this: The goal is to bring out the best
in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.
I think the writer is talking about
how we make people feel. Do your
encounters with others help them feel loved and included? Are they drawn in so they might like to talk
again soon? Is your way of handling a
situation interestingly different and perhaps more satisfying?
how we make people feel. Do your
encounters with others help them feel loved and included? Are they drawn in so they might like to talk
again soon? Is your way of handling a
situation interestingly different and perhaps more satisfying?
To comment, click the title at the
top of this email then comment at the bottom of the blog. If you’d like
to comment privately, you can email me at [email protected].
top of this email then comment at the bottom of the blog. If you’d like
to comment privately, you can email me at [email protected].
3 Comments
Leave a Comment
Spend a few minutes to plant a quick Seed. Or stay longer and plant a whole garden.
I needed this word this morning! Conversation that is "always full of undeserved love, acceptance, forgiveness…bringing out the best in others, not putting them down or cutting them out." Our oldest is coming home from college today and there are some difficult topics that need to be discussed (not today but soon). It is hard for me to "not take it personally" sometimes with my kids but that's exactly what must happen. Though I have a heart of unconditional love for them, my conversation doesn't always reflect that. Thank you my Jesus for this tender reminder through Cathy!
I'm glad this helped prepare you for a touchy situation. God is amazing in the way He sends messages from all angles. It's up to us to be receptive and teachable. There are no coincidences. Good luck with your conversation! Parenting young adults isn't easy.
Choosing to be gracious was just the ticket! (Shocking!)