“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6).
There is a vast difference between salty speech and speech seasoned with salt. Salty speech is offensive, sarcastic, sharp, bitter, biting. Speech seasoned with salt is attractive, appetizing, flavorful, and tasteful. It fulfills the very words of Jesus who urged his disciples to “have salt in yourselves” (Mark 9:50).
In sharing our faith with others, we need to be able to capture their interest and keep their attention. One way to do that is to make sure that our speech is well seasoned with salt. Just as salt adds appeal to food, so it adds appeal to our witness with others.
Salt enhances and enriches; it adds flavor to that which is dull, bland, and tasteless. Well-seasoned speech adds flavor to the Bread of Life, which we share with others to enhance and enrich their lives.
Salt is used as a preservative; it prevents corruption in meat. Likewise, “meat of the word” which we share with others can be kept pure and incorrupt when our speech is well seasoned with salt.
Salt produces thirst. Well-salted speech can actually stimulate a thirst for the Water of Life.
In his New Testament commentary, Dean Alford states: “Salt as used by our Savior symbolizes the unction, freshness, and vital briskness which characterizes the Holy Spirit’s presence and work in a man.”
Without salt in our speech, our words will be insipid, banal, and uninspiring. Prayer makes a difference. A consistent life in prayer keeps the salt in our lives from losing its savor.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Dick Mills was ordained at The International Church of the Foursquare Gospel in 1949. He and his wife Betty traveled as evangelists all over the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe, and Australia. Dick and Betty are now home in heaven.
In 1966 Dick and Betty became a part of the then-emerging Charismatic Renewal. Passing through all denominational barriers, Dick has had the opportunity to speak in thousands of churches of varied backgrounds all over the world.
He ministered within several Christian organizations, including the Full Gospel Business Men, Women's Aglow, Inter-church Renewal Catholic Pentecostals, mainline Charismatic groups, CBN and TBN television networks, and many other independent Christian TV stations.
Dick appeared on numerous radio talk shows, written several magazine articles, and spoke at many Bible conferences and universities. He served as an adjunct professor at six Schools of the Bible and Seminaries.
In addition, Dick authored and co-authored several books and tapes. Dick's ministry was characterized by the unique gifts God has blessed him with. His services informed, enlightened, and motivated people to a higher level of commitment to God.