Salty Grace

Season grace with salt.

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Col 4:5-7

I overheard my granddaughter tell some that if they got salty with her, she would get salty with them. I haven't heard someone use that word in conversation in a few decades. I'm thinking she meant over the top. Words have a way of changing their meaning over time. When I grew up, salty meant something like to be tough or unmovable in a rugged sort of way.

Salt is good in the appropriate amount for the occasion. A lot of salt is needed to move a pesky ant hill. Not so much salt is needed to flavor food. Salt poured on a wound might sting; but, it helps in the healing process.

It does not hurt to be a little salty. Always full of only grace is no grace at all, as my former mentor and teacher, Dr. Karl Keljo, often reminded me.  Being a bit salty is a good thing. But, just as only grace can do damage; so can being overly salty.

May God grant us the wisdom to know how much salt we should or should not use to season our conversations with others.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Micah 6 - Walk Humbly

"He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8 NIV)

It would be very good indeed in this world, if we all just did the good that the LORD has shown us. Can you imagine what the world would be like if every professing Christian actually made it a priority to act justly and love mercy as we walk humbly with our God?

One of my favorite descriptions of humility was written by Washington Allston. He wrote: "Humility is also a healing virtue; it will cicatrize a thousand wounds, which pride would keep for ever open."

Let us then set aside our pride as we walk humbly with our God, so that justice and mercy might prevail.

God's Peace - Pr. J

Hosea 6 - Return and Abide with Him

"Return to the Lord. He has torn us to shreds but he will bandage our wounds and make us well. In two or three days he will heal and restore our strength that we may live with him." (Hosea 6:1-2)

Hosea reminds us today that if truly want to live in God's presence it would be most helpful to quit walking away from Him. I have never quite figured out why anyone would want to and actually believe that they would enter the kingdom of God after physical death if they do not desire to abide with him now. I'm thinking it's probably the fear of death rather than the love of God that would motivate such faithless faith.

Our heavenly Father wants you to abide with Him now - even here in this world. Wouldn't life be more pleasant now if you would only open the door instead of slamming it in His face?

"Let's do our best to know the Lord. His coming is as certain as the morning sun; He will rephresh ice like rainrenewing the earth in the springtime." (Hosea 6:3)

God's Peace - Pr. J

P.S. On my smartphone so hope this is readable. It is hard for me to write on such a small space and wkeyboard real keyboard.