CONVERSATIONS
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6 NIV
In Spanish we say, walk with wolves long enough and you will begin to howl. The more you talk to good people, wise people, the more you will have grace. Seasoned with salt I think refers to us as new believers, that we should be tactful. Personally, my biggest failure and downfall is in these 2 areas.
I always am amazed how gracious little kids are with each other. They haven’t learned to bicker and quarrel yet. When they talk about God, different beliefs, etc. NO ONE takes offense with the other. There is no religious pride nor superiority. They laugh, tell each other what they believe, then go out and play soccer. My son and daughter have great conversations with other kids, of other beliefs. There is never any sign of an argument, always just interesting conversation. No hard feelings, no anger. You would think that the more we study the Bible, the more we walk with the King, the more we would be like Him. Often that isn’t the case. Maybe because we aren’t really conversing with Him *two way conversation*. We spit off a list of demands, ask Him to bless what we are going to do anyway, and then read the Bible to prove what we already believe.
This verse really convicted me today. I know it is the NIV, not King James, but I needed to read this version today, it really jumped out at me. For example, just because I talk to street kids, and poor people a lot, doesn’t mean I have to talk like them. Actually I prefer being with them, and talking to them, than the ‘churched’. I trust them more, and get disappointed less. However, today I had a conversation with a Godly car salesman. In 22 minutes exactly I learned two things I had never heard before, that were a real blessing to me.
#1. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.Matthew 18:20.
That always bothered me, because God is omnipresent. He is everywhere, always,. that is His character. So why does it say when 2 or more are gathered He is there? What about when you pray alone in your prayer closet? He is there. Or how about this one. People say, WOOOHOOO!!! WHERE TWO OR MORE ARE GATHERED HE IS THERE, AND WOULDN’T YOU KNOW? GOD REALLY SHOWED UP AT CHURCH TODAY!.. uh, God is omnipresent! He always shows up.
My friend said that this verse is referring to when a brother is in sin. First you tell him, then you get a few more involved, THEN you take him to the church body for a real trial. THEN if he refuses to change, you stop hanging with him. AND Jesus is with you through the whole process! What a relief. How loving and kind Jesus style. Sadly, that isn’t what the religious do. What the religious do is usually completely opposite of what Jesus wants. The regligious just write you off. But in theory that is really comforting to know the Jesus wants to be in the whole process of restoration. He established His church to be that way, although the religious are severely lacking in that department. Lots of needless casualties.
#2. Tact is not being gentle, Tact is having a strategy to do God’s will in the conversation. *going back to the seasoned in salt* As new creatures in Christ, everything we do should be about helping others. Tact isn’t always gentle, but it is always kind. Correction without saying the word NO. Correction without the other person KNOWING that he is being corrected.
Anyway, what I walked away with tonight is this, LOOK for Godly people, who don’t bore you to death the platitudes that you have heard 5 zillion times. That way, when you are with the OTHERS, having a conversation *two way,not one way* you have something of value to say.
We have something of value to say to these kids. Problem is in the delivery. Hopefully I will be more fruitful with conversations in the future, now that I had a GREAT example of a real conversation today.
Be careful with our conversations, little ears are hearing!
Prayer
day to day finances
health
a friend traveling this week, crossing borders, in a very risky area
a friend trying to sell her business
resolution to Saeed Abedini’s ordeal
energy
More Holy Spirit, love , conviction, patience and joy
Dean Peters
USA NUMBER 1-240-345-9268
local cel in Nicaragua 55010927
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