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bigmike

Gracious Words
Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.
Colossians 4:6
The story goes that a lady went to a pastor and revealed that she was under conviction regarding the way she talked to and about others. The pastor told her to take a feather pillow up into the steeple of the church, tear it open, and let the wind carry the feathers away. Once she had done that, he suggested she go and gather them up. She told him that was impossible. He agreed and pointed out that it is similarly impossible to track down the words we have spoken and remove their influence from the hearts and minds of others.
Being careful of our speech is meant to be a way of life. Our words have a powerful impact on others, so it is important that we carefully balance what we say between grace and truth. We should not take our words lightly, but instead consider what they can do for good or bad.
When Jesus returned to Nazareth after He had begun His ministry, He spoke in the synagogue. "And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?"
(Luke 4:22). Matthew Henry wrote, "Christ's words are words of grace, for, grace being poured into His lips (Psalm 45:2), words of grace poured from them. And these words of grace are to be wondered at; Christ's name was Wonderful, and in nothing was He more so than in His grace, in the words of His grace, and the power that went along with those words. We may well wonder that He should speak such words of grace to such graceless wretches as we are." We do not speak gracious words to others because they deserve them, but because we are trying to follow the example of the Lord and be effective witnesses for Him.
Our words have such power that we must choose them wisely and with care, guided by grace.
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