"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." - Colossians 4:5-6 ESV
'The Outsider'
That word has a definite article in front of it in the Greek. Salt is a preservative and it was used as a symbol of an agreement or a treaty. Salt kept food items from changing It preserved them. That is also what a peace agreement was supposed to do.
To walk in wisdom is to 'keep the peace.' Grace does that and it is truly needed with the outsider.
What is the best use of our time with people? Perhaps it is getting past the surface things and determining what is keeping someone outside. How do we bring someone who is outside a relationship with God inside?
Grace. Explaining God's grace. Exhibiting God's grace. At the same time we are wise because someone outside is going to bring outside habits in as long as their identity is as 'the outsider.'
An outsider has a different value system and may feel they have the right to take things because they are not invested in ownership as an insider. Wisdom is needed.
People can be moral outsiders. They discount themselves because of morality.
Others are outside because they have been put there by others.
"Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." - Colossians 4:5-6 ESV
Make us wise God. The Gospel is an invitation into your world. Is answers questions we didn't even know we had. We want to make a good use of our time today. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit so that we can have words that give entrance. Thank You God.
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