Grace-filled conversation.

“5 Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.”
Colossians 4:5-6 (NKJV)
 
Eternity is forever, and our time here on earth is short. Verse 5 is stressing the need for us to make the most of the time that we have with regard to our witness for the Lord. We need to “walk in wisdom” towards unbelievers. If we fail to be wise in the way in which we relate to those around us, we could end up burning bridges with people and losing opportunities to influence them for the Lord. 
 
Verse 6 shows us a way in which we can walk in wisdom and witness to others: that is to always speak in a manner which attracts people to us, and doesn’t repel them. Our words should always be seasoned with grace. Grace builds people up and treats them better than they deserve. Grace overlooks faults (1 Peter 4:8) and focuses on the positive. When our speech is graceful it’s not condemning, judgemental or harsh – it is kind, loving and uplifting. Gracious words are liberating – they set people free to be real and not hide behind masks of fear and insecurity.
 
“Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.”
Luke 15:1 (NKJV)
 
Did you ever wonder why the “riff-raff” drew near to hear Jesus? We’re talking about the worst of the worst of the society of that day, people everyone else detested and looked down upon – sinners and tax collectors! And yet they were hanging out with Jesus because they wanted to hear what He had to say. I think it is safe to say that Jesus wasn’t speaking “hell-fire and damnation” – His words were full of grace. He didn’t sugar-coat the truth, but He ministered the truth of grace in love to people who really needed it. Think about it: grace is good news to someone who needs it. So it’s good to ask ourselves if our conversation is full of grace, or if it isn’t. Are we judgemental and condemning or do people feel love and acceptance from us, and then draw near to hear what we’re saying? If what we’re saying is giving them hope and offering them healing and acceptance then it will certainly draw the “riff-raff”, and people will want to hear what you have to say. We call that influence.
 
Being gracious towards others also means that even if you are right, you don’t always have to prove that you are right. You don’t go out to argue with people until they acknowledge your superior wisdom. The relationship is more important than being right – and so sometimes you need to just listen and be quiet. Being gracious towards our loved ones may mean that if they just aren’t “getting this grace thing”, then we’re patient and graceful with them. We honour them and we don’t badger them. Being gracious means we aren’t forceful but inviting; we’re compassionate and loving. We don’t compromise on the truth of the good news of the gospel, but we do it in a way that is kind. We do it in a way that truly puts the other person first, not ourselves. This is grace in action.

God wants you to be an influencer, but you have to work on your skills to be an effective influencer. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to see people through God’s eyes and love them like He does. When you see the value God sees in people, it will help you to love people more, and then it’s easier to flow in grace towards them and then your influence for the Lord will increase. And remember that you cannot give what you do not have. So, focus on God’s love and grace towards you and then as it impacts your heart it will be easier to flow in love and grace towards other people.