“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” – Colossians 4:6

Given how short most people fall of this standard, it’s worth observing that in the original language, this is a command. Christians are COMMANDED to speak in a way that is always gracious. So, how ‘bout it? Is your speech always giving undeserved favor to those listening? Are you always kinder, gentler, and more forgiving in speech than your audience deserves? That’s fundamentally what it means to be gracious in speech and we need to take that very seriously!

Is your speech intentional, interesting (flavorful – like it’s seasoned with salt), preserving and encouraging those who hear it (as salt did in those days), and worthy of offering to God (offerings included salt)? For most of us, the answer is probably a version of no. In Matthew 12, Jesus said we will give an account for every idle word we speak. As followers of Jesus (who definitely knew how to answer each person), we must endeavor to upgrade our speaking every minute of every day!

Christians don’t need to be quick to answer everything that’s ever said or asked of us. In Christ, we can be patient and wise in how we speak. We can speak words of life rather than death, words that glorify God rather than dishonor Him even as we think we’re defending Him. This dying world doesn’t need our angry speech, proud speech, defensive speech, evasive speech, entitled speech, whiny speech, or pointless speech. However, it desperately needs our gracious, God-glorifying speech. Speak wisely and well!

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” – Colossians 3:16

What words dwell richly in you? The words of your favorite news channel? The words of social media? The words of politicians? The words of TV hosts? The words of writers and columnists? The words of singers, actors, or those famous for being famous? Or the word of Christ?

Your answer matters!!! The words we take in through our ears and eyes powerfully shape our thoughts and emotions. It’s almost impossible to overstate the power words have over our lives. Far too many followers of Jesus are more shaped by the words of present-day people than by the timeless words of the Son of God! Don’t be among them!!!

Fill yourself with Christ’s Word. FILL YOURSELF! Read the Bible every day (not just a devotional based on a single verse). Think carefully about what you’ve read. Ask questions of it and seek answers from RELIABLE sources. Pray through what you’ve read. Memorize Scripture. Let Christ’s Word re-shape your heart, mind, and soul.

However, there’s far more to this command than just your private intake of Christ’s Word. Let your conversation with others be filled with the truth, power, and wisdom of Christ’s Word. Fill your discussions with other believers and your advice to them with biblical content, not the latest pop-psychology ramblings or social media happenings. Christians must live in community with other Christians and the flavor of that community should be shaped by the words, songs, hymns, and psalms of Christ. Can you even begin to imagine how wonderfully different your church community would be if you (and others) lived by this command?

“Unless the Lord builds the house,
those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
the watchman stays awake in vain.”
– Psalm 127:1

Most people work very hard in life. You probably do too. However, we’re very small people operating in a very large world. If we aren’t working in the Lord, then we’re doing nothing more than building elaborate sand castles that will soon be washed away by the tide.

If we’re building our house, career, business, platform, church, or nation with our strength, energy, abilities, ideas, and resources, we build in vain. All that we do will one day pass away (or else we will and we certainly can’t take it with us). Wisdom teaches us to build in the Lord. Seek to understand His will and His ways – not just His commands, but His heart, values, and priorities. Build on these! Don’t simply ask God to bless what you’ve already decided to do. Do what God’s already decided to bless. Do everything you do in the power of the Holy Spirit rather than your own power. Build everything on a foundation of prayer and devotion to God’s Kingdom.

Perhaps the most valuable lesson we all should have learned from these past two years is that everything which feels so substantial is far more fragile than we ever imagine. Pandemic…political upheaval…war…. These things have upended institutions and patterns we never dreamed could be disrupted. We can’t build on earthly foundations and institutions! We must build with the Lord and build on a foundation of faith and submission to God. Don’t labor in vain. Don’t stay awake fretting anxiously over every threat in vain. Work and watch with God, not by yourself!

“In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” – Colossians 2:3

How well do you know Jesus? If you’ve trusted in Him as Lord and Savior, you certainly know Him. But how well do you know Him???

Scripture tells us that in Jesus are hidden ALL (not a few, not some, not many, ALL) the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. There’s always more to learn and discover in Christ. As a follower of Jesus, you’re already in union with Him. As you invest in more fully realizing, enjoying, and experiencing that union, you’ll discover more of those treasures hidden in Christ. So make that investment!

Invest in your relationship with Jesus like you would invest in the greatest earthly relationship imaginable (and then invest more)! Spend time with Him. Talk to Him (prayer). Listen to Him (prayer again). Learn about Him (Bible study). Enjoy thinking about what you’ve learned about Him and from Him (meditation). Sing of Him and praise Him (worship).

Regularly take time to simply think about Jesus. Marvel at Him. Delight in Him. Think about the amazing things He’s done. Think about His awesome sacrifice on your behalf. Think about His glorious resurrection and ascension. Think about what He’s doing right now as He rules over and sustains every bit of this universe. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. Unlock the treasures of wisdom and knowledge waiting for you to find in Jesus!

“Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be moved, but abides forever.”
– Psalm 125:1

Bad things can happen to those who trust in the Lord. We can be buffeted, bullied, injured, displaced, persecuted, imprisoned, or killed. We can experience suffering, illness, disability, oppression, and injustice. However, if we’ve trusted in the Lord, the core of who we are can’t be moved or shaken, because that core is God Himself!

Scripture tells us that if we are in Christ, then we are new creation. We’re no longer defined by social status, financial standing, appearance, or accomplishment. We’re defined by this wonderful reality – that Christ is in us. Followers of Jesus are in constant union with Christ and sealed by the Holy Spirit. That can’t be undone!

No matter what happens to us, how the world views us, or how “successful” we may or may not be in the world’s eyes, we are in Christ and He is in us. He will neither leave us nor forsake us. God’s love for us and His adoption of us as His children can’t be undone and that’s what defines us. That’s why, no matter how the world treats us, moves us, or shakes us, our foundational identity can’t be moved and will abide forever.

For many Christians, the challenge is recognizing this reality. We often hang on to our pre-Christian sense of identity, allowing ourselves to be defined by our career, rank, bank balance, education, accomplishment, personal life, family status, appearance, health, age, race, weight, or gender. If this describes you, let go of those things! Embrace your true identity in Jesus Christ. Know who you are in God’s eyes and never let the world shake or redefine that. Abide in Him forever!