The Witness of our Words
Words are powerful. Ponder how God spoke creation into existence. He said, and it was! The power of words in our witness can’t be overstated, as we need our words to be seasoned with grace, with truth, and with love.
We need to speak life to others. In our witness, words are powerful, as they can either help or hinder our testimony. I don’t know about you, but in my life, when I think I’ve tamed the tongue, I have to bite my lip. I’m reminded that my speech is one of those issues in the Christian life that is a perpetual issue. It doesn’t go away. We may grow and achieve victory in this area, yet none of us ever arrives.
When the Apostle Paul addressed the church in Colosse just before his final greetings to the saints, he left them with one powerful parting instruction which focuses on the witness of our words:
“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak. Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one (Colossians 4:2-6).
It is imperative that we bathe everything in prayer, including our witness and specifically the words of our witness. Our evangelistic efforts, at least those that are impactful, must be in the power of the Holy Spirit. Remember, evangelism should start on our knees, so…
Go to God on behalf of people before you go to people on behalf of God.
Prayer acknowledges our dependence upon God to move, to guide and direct our words, and to work in the life of our audience, for He is the Author of Salvation.
Paul instructed the believers in Colosse to “continue earnestly in prayer” (verse 2). He then asked them to pray “God would open a door for the word,” so he could “speak the mystery of Christ” (verse 3), even as he wrote from a Roman prison. The apostle got more specific in his prayer request, petitioning them to pray God would enable him “to make it [his speech] clear in the way I ought to speak” (verse 4).
Paul was a witness to those also called to witness, for those first-century believers needed an example of someone dependent upon God. Paul certainly was that.
For you and me, prayer is also an essential component of our witness, a critical component of our verbal testimony, because we need God’s words in God’s time in God’s power in order to most effectively accomplish God’s purposes, and God is faithful!
An excellent website regarding praying for the lost is kingdompraying.com. We not only pray for our own witness, we also pray for those to whom we witness. In short, prayer can’t be overemphasized.
As I write I’m convicted about my lack of fervent prayer regarding the witness of my words to those outside the faith. I can naturally provide answers and share about the Lord, yet I readily acknowledge I need to share supernaturally, in the power of the Spirit. How about you? Perhaps talking isn’t a problem, but you need a greater dependence on God. Maybe you have a difficult time with your verbal witness in finding the words or the courage to utter them. The Lord knows this also and wants to grow you in this area.
Paul concluded this section focusing on the verbal testimony of the reader:
“Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. 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).
Here the Apostle Paul connected our witness specifically with our words, exhorting the believers in Colosse to walk in godly wisdom.
Those words initially penned for a first century audience certainly contain a powerful twenty-first century application for us today!
As one wise sage notes about speaking with grace: “Speaking with grace is to speak what is spiritual, wholesome, complimentary, gentle, truthful, loving, and thoughtful.” How am I going to do this? Lord, please help me!
To have one’s speech seasoned with salt contains the idea of a preserving and purifying agent in the midst of a decaying society. While Paul was addressing first century believers, we also need our speech seasoned with salt!
I might add that regardless of the topic of conversation, whether we’re talking about secular things or spiritual things, the weather, sports, or the Savior, our speech should always be characterized by grace and seasoned with salt.
So I need the Lord! How about you?
Finally in verse 6 Paul implied that when someone’s speech is grace-filled and seasoned with salt, then they will know what to say and when to say it!
To summarize, how do we give an appropriate verbal testimony to people? In short, we begin with prayer, and according to this section of scripture, seeking to express words filled with divine wisdom, words filled with grace and seasoned with salt. When we do that, we can trust the Lord will then give us a word or words aptly spoken!
Lord Jesus, thank You for the ability to speak! Thank You for the privilege to praise Your name and proclaim Your truth to others. Help me speak grace-filled words that are seasoned with salt to those You bring across my path as You open doors—giving me Your words in Your ways in Your time in Your power for Your glory. Amen.