Pass the salt, please
Posted in Brett's Posts 2 comments
"Let your conversation always be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:6
One of the summers I worked at Camp Windermere, I wrecked my bicycle and earned some scratches and a small patch of road rash. When my friend helped me to the Nurse's station she poured on peroxide twice; both times it bubbled up white. She wasn't satisfied with the peroxide and decided it would be best to pour some saline on it to help prevent infection. All I thought was, "Saline is salt-water...salt on open wound...that's supposed to hurt." My friend has a look of, "I'll enjoy watching this." Sure enough, it hurt and I got really light-headed from it, but it worked and I have a small scar to remind me of the episode.
That phrase, "pour salt on an open wound" is usually in a negative sense; as in making a situation worse or causing additional pain. Sometimes I picture the effect of salt on a slug, though there are far better uses. If you look up the history of salt, you will find that it has been used a long time. It is used for preserving meat and flavoring (imagine fries without it), and because of these it was even part of a Roman soldier's payment. Check out more here if you like.
Anyway, given the uses of salt, what did Paul mean exactly when he wrote that our speech should be "seasoned with salt?" Did he simply mean, "the truth hurts" and it will sting. My thoughts on this are a little scattered, but as I think about my own words, I wonder. How often is my speech like intentionally hurtful, like salt on a wound? I think Paul had more in mind than this so I hope you'll check again as I explore this further.
Brett
One of the summers I worked at Camp Windermere, I wrecked my bicycle and earned some scratches and a small patch of road rash. When my friend helped me to the Nurse's station she poured on peroxide twice; both times it bubbled up white. She wasn't satisfied with the peroxide and decided it would be best to pour some saline on it to help prevent infection. All I thought was, "Saline is salt-water...salt on open wound...that's supposed to hurt." My friend has a look of, "I'll enjoy watching this." Sure enough, it hurt and I got really light-headed from it, but it worked and I have a small scar to remind me of the episode.
That phrase, "pour salt on an open wound" is usually in a negative sense; as in making a situation worse or causing additional pain. Sometimes I picture the effect of salt on a slug, though there are far better uses. If you look up the history of salt, you will find that it has been used a long time. It is used for preserving meat and flavoring (imagine fries without it), and because of these it was even part of a Roman soldier's payment. Check out more here if you like.
Anyway, given the uses of salt, what did Paul mean exactly when he wrote that our speech should be "seasoned with salt?" Did he simply mean, "the truth hurts" and it will sting. My thoughts on this are a little scattered, but as I think about my own words, I wonder. How often is my speech like intentionally hurtful, like salt on a wound? I think Paul had more in mind than this so I hope you'll check again as I explore this further.
Brett
2 comments:
Brett - first off, sorry for stealing your posting day! I owed you one, but was completely confused on what day it was. Either way, I love the passage and actually taught it on Wednesday night.
MJ
Haha, no worries Mike; last week it got to be after Midnight before I could post. Sweet coincidence.
Post a Comment