Take it with a grain of salt

“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6

To take something with a grain of salt, suggests what you just heard is accepted with skepticism. It’s hard to swallow just like unsalted food.

When our kids were in school, they would grumble about having to ride the bus. My husband would tell the stories of when he was a kid and how he had to walk to school in the snow. Yes he walked to school, but it was in his neighborhood so the walk wasn’t very far. Certain embellishments were added for dramatic effect, but the grumbling stopped!

Have you ever known someone who would say anything and make empty promises? I have and all it does is set you up for disappointment. Their intentions may be good but they never seem to follow through with what they say they'll do so you can’t depend on them. I have a friend that has been coming to see us for as long as I can remember and we’ve yet to see her.

Our word is a bond between each other. Back in the day, men would just shake hands to firm up a deal because they each knew their word could be taken at face value and it was as good as any written contract. You said what you meant and meant what you said. James 5:12 says, “Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.” Simply put, when our word is our word, there is no reason to ever swear against God’s holy name or anything He created. We are to have reference for God and never use his name flippantly.

I think we are all guilty of stretching the truth sometimes when we are trying to get our point across. Jesus even used exaggerations and embellishments to many of the parables for the same reason. Jesus taught with parables because it gave the people a practical word picture they could relate to, and they still hold true today. It’s impossible to ever get a camel through the eye of a needle as he talked about in Matthew 19:24, but the visual illustration impresses on us the importance of not worshiping our wealth.

When we speak, we want our word to be our word and never taken with a grain of salt. Our words are to be honest, filled with integrity, and embedded in the truth. We should desire to build others up and do what we say we’ll do. As believers we have a responsibility to remain grounded in the word of God and fill up daily on His truths that come from the scriptures.