Mouth Rinse

As a kid growing up I had to deal with a lot of mouth rinse...
No not the soap based kind you probably first thought of!

Because of dental issues, I had a number of teeth pulled and then the recommended salty mouth rinse regime ensued for a number of weeks each time.
There was a reason for doing it, it was just not what I wanted to do.

When I read this passage again recently I couldn't help but be reminded of this childhood experience...

Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, 

that you may know how you ought to answer each one. 

Colossians 4:6 njkv

I regularly in my role as a Pastor, have to season my mouth.
I want whatever I say, whether encouraging or correcting to be seasoned with grace.
Supposedly being right is one thing...
Delivering in a way that is received is totally another thing all together!

As a husband and parent the same thing applies...

All of us are called to this very thing...to let grace season the words of our mouths.
Let grace slosh around. Rinse it around. Shake your face to and fro until grace has permeated your teeth, your tongue and your lips.
Practically that means for me that I think very carefully before I speak.
Sometimes I rehearse it. Many times I pray fervently about it.
Grace should be the sound that is heard along with the verbs that I perpetuate.

Scripture also reminds us that there is the power of life and death in each of our tongues.
It can be a weapon of destruction or a true minister of grace.
Let's choose to season our speech to one another with grace.
Can I encourage you today to choose to speak life to one another?

Something to think about...