It’s 5:00 in the afternoon. It’s been a good, but long day at work, and now it’s time to make dinner. I put water in several pots, attempting to provide a home cooked meal with mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese and some type of vegetable. I figure I won’t win the “Mother of the Year” award, when they think the food groups are corn dog nuggets, frozen pizza and hamburger helper! Whenever I am cooking something that requires boiling water, I have always added salt to the pot along with the water. To be honest, I’m not sure why I always put salt in the pot, other than the fact that I thought it made the water boil faster. I’m not quite sure if this was something I was told when I was younger, or just an assumption I made from watching people cook. Whatever the reason, the fact is, that salt does NOT make it boil faster. In fact, salt actually increases the boiling point, so that it takes longer for it to boil. There’s your interesting fact for the day! Let’s look back at our scripture for this series…
Colossians 4:5-6 (NIV),
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.
Our last interesting characteristic of Salt… It helps us keep our COOL! Just like adding the salt to a pot of water, God’s word, His presence, the SALT in our lives helps us to keep our ATTITUDES in check. God has called us to a life of righteousness. Does that mean we are perfect? Certainly not. But, our actions and reactions should look different than that those who do not profess to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.
Proverbs 19:11 (NIV) “A person’s wisdom yields patience;
it is to one’s glory to overlook an offense.”
Ecclesiates 7:9 (NIV) “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit,
for anger resides in the lap of fools.”
Oh no… The “P” word. PATIENCE! God clearly instructs us in these two scriptures to practice patience! That calls for lots of SALT! As a child of God, we should be a representation of God’s grace and mercy every day. When situations arise, and emotions are high, there must be something that rises up inside of us, that allows us to handle these circumstances differently. If we look back at our scripture in Colossians, we read, “let your conversation be ALWAYS full of grace.” It doesn’t say, when we feel like it, or if they deserve it. Just in case we need reminding, Webster’s dictionary defines always as, “at all times; in any event.” So, no matter the circumstance, if we are going to reflect the grace of Jesus Christ, we must exhibit and extend grace. My toes are officially purple and blue, because I have stepped all over them. What? You mean that when my kids are acting like they have slap lost their minds, I have to choose grace? When that co-worker has gotten on my last nerve, I have to choose grace? When circumstances tend to cause me to raise my voice, argue, or just be angry, I must let the “SALT” take over and not be so easily provoked? That’s a tall order. But God says “His grace is sufficient!” That’s an awesome promise. We just have to accept it! We can’t extend something to others that we don’t possess ourselves. Even as I am writing this blog post, God has been speaking to my heart about areas of my life that I need to accept His grace, so that I can give it!
“We can’t extend something to others, that we don’t possess ourselves”
James 1: 19-20 (NIV) says, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.” For us to grow in the righteousness of God, we must practice these three things. Our words should calm a situation, not ignite it. Our actions should bring peace, not conflict. Allow God to speak to your heart and move in your life. When circumstances arise, let God’s spirit rise up in you, instead of the anger, impatience, and bad attitudes. Let the salt in your life change your actions and reactions. God, I want you to consume me, change me and use me… So, Pass the SALT please!

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