Knowing How to Respond to Outsiders

“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).

This section of Scripture has always seemed odd to me. I get the, “Walk in wisdom toward outsiders…” part. It’s the rest of this passage that has always seemed, to me at least, as though it doesn’t really fit with that first section. After all, it says we should let our “speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” How does talking in a kind manner cause us to know how to respond to outsiders? That’s what it’s saying. Odd, isn’t it?

Think about it this way. If we’re accustomed to saying mean and belittling things to those around us, how will we respond to outsiders? In the same way, right?

But if the way we generally talk is gracious and kind, we have a better chance of responding to unbelievers nicely. We will know how we ought to answer each person.

So the underlying question, then, is, what is your everyday talking like? What types of words or phrases do you use to interact with those to whom you’re closest? Are you kind and gracious and uplifting? If not, you’re not likely to be very winsome to outsiders, are you?