“Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.”
The Tongue
Paul names a specific, positive image here, seasoned with salt, worth holding as this third movement’s own opening picture, not merely restrained or careful speech, the previous movement’s own focus, but speech genuinely, actively flavorful, worth examining what this positive quality might actually, practically add.
This third movement, turning from this book’s exploration of guarding speech toward genuinely tamed, life-giving words, opens with this crucial image. Salt does not merely preserve or restrain. It genuinely enhances, worth holding as this movement’s own aim, speech that actively adds something good, not merely avoids something bad.
Notice with grace, the specific quality named alongside salt, worth examining together, seasoned speech genuinely rooted in grace, not clever or sharp for its own sake, but grace-filled, worth holding as needed correction against however much wit or sharpness has substituted for this described, genuine graciousness.
Consider today what speech seasoned with salt and grace might actually, practically sound like in one specific conversation, not merely avoiding harmful words, this book’s second movement, but actively adding this described, genuine flavor, worth practicing deliberately as this movement’s own actual, positive aim.
Guard Your Words
- Consider what grace-seasoned speech might practically sound like in one upcoming conversation.
- Notice whether wit or sharpness has substituted for genuine grace in your own speech.
- Practice today speaking with this described, positive flavor, not merely restrained, cautious words.
Prayer
Lord, let my speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt. Let this be genuinely positive, adding good flavor, not merely restrained or cautiously withheld. Amen.
Carry this today
Tamed speech is genuinely flavorful, actively adding grace, not merely restraining harm.