Colossians 3-4; 1 Thessalonians 1

(August 8, 2015)

                I loved the expression concerning seasoning our speaking with Grace, so that we will know how to answer.  Oftentimes I find myself in a difficult situation, not knowing the right thing to say. Sometimes it is with someone who is angry, or someone who is hurting, or even someone trapped (and who may not even recognize that they are trapped).  I will say a silent prayer and wade in – hoping to say the right thing (or, more importantly, avoid saying the wrong thing).

                But I make things far more complicated for myself than I need to.  It retrospect I can clearly see that those times I have said the right thing were the times when my comments focused on His Grace and the Atonement.  Those times when I said the wrong thing were the times when my comments were focused on material action or temporal circumstances.

                No matter our desires to help, we really can do almost nothing to help those around us.  Nothing, that is, except to live our lives in such a way as to constantly point those around us to Christ and His Atonement and to encourage them to partake of Grace in their own lives.  So long as we are doing that, we know how to answer.