READ: Colossians 4:2-6
There are few things in this world as delicious as a hot french fry freshly plucked from cooking oil. Sure, they’re about as nutritious as a bowl full of rocks, but they’re also delicious. We love this greasy snack that makes our fingers both shiny and slimy at the same time. Get this. Americans eat 8,700,000,000 pounds of fries every year (that’s over 12,310,500,000,000 calories). How crazy is that? They’re not just limited to fast food joints with bright red signs. Fries are everywhere! From Italian bistros to Indian takeout places, they’re inescapable.
When most people say, “I love fries,” they actually mean, “I love salt.” Have you ever tried one without salt? It’s almost inedible. That’s because salt brings out the best flavors in food. Salt is amazing at increasing flavors and decreasing bitterness. The same way we use salt for our food, Paul encourages us to use salt for our words.
He says, “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (4:6). That’s a weird sentence, right? What does it mean to season our speech with salt? Think about it. The same way that we use salt to bring out the best in food, we should use our words to bring out the best in others. Strive to use your words to make people feel good.
Look at the example of Jesus. He strived to help people, encourage people, and inspire people consistently. Give out compliments. Celebrate someone else’s gifts. Congratulate someone on their success. Go out of your way to be kind. This will ultimately bring out the best in everyone. Strive to sprinkle some salt onto every conversation. Why? Because your words can change someone’s life.