Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:6 (ESV)
How important is your speech? What does it have to say about who you are? In Matthew 15:18-20, Jesus told His disciples that what comes out of their mouths is essentially a window into their souls. What we say, and how we say it, says a lot about who we are.
Our words can be helpful to those who hear or read what we have to say. And those words then reflect a heart that cares about other people.
But our words can also tear down those they are directed toward. Words that are careless and hurtful. Words that reflect pride and arrogance.
In Ephesians 4:29, Paul encourages us to let our words be good for building others up rather than hurtful or empty. And in the passage quoted above, he tells us to let our speech always be gracious.
As believers, we are called to love one another. And that should be reflected in our speech. Our words should never be cutting or insulting. Words like that reflect a heart that is prideful and immature.
Instead, we should make it our goal to speak in a way that would be helpful to those who hear us. To be loving and kind in our words. Even when responding to those who are less than gracious in their speech.
This seems to be especially challenging in online communities. When we don’t see the person we are talking with, or have any other relationship with them, it is so very easy to forget to be gracious in our speech and attitudes. But even in the most challenging environments, we should be careful to be gracious in all we say or write.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Psalms 19:14 (ESV)
be acceptable in your sight,
O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
