Welcome to the last of Colossians! It has taken us thirty two devotions (a few of them being detours) to finish this great book. If you haven’t figured it out yet, I love the Book of Colossians. It is so simple, yet so profound. Next week we will have a week of reflection on the Book of Colossians. We will review and look at the book as a whole. I truly believe that if we live out what is in this Book, our lives will be different. But that is next week. Let’s look at our last few verses found in Colossians 4:5-6.
Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.
Literally, the beginning of verse 5 reads “Walk with wisdom toward outsiders.” Now, this is the last command that Paul gives to the readers of Colossae. The second to last command was “Devote yourselves to prayer!” Paul definitely finished Colossians with two powerful commands! Who are the outsiders? The outsiders are people who do not believe. Think about the people with whom you come into contact each day that have no relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They are lost! They still have their “old clothes” of anger, malice, slander, greed, etc. on. Paul tells us to conduct ourselves with wisdom with these people (will discuss this in next paragraph). He communicates to the reader to make the most of the opportunity. You may be the only Jesus the unbeliever sees. Did you hear that? You may be the only Jesus the unbeliever sees. What are your actions communicating to them about Jesus? Are they seeing your “old clothes” or the “new clothes” that the Spirit has given you?
Paul goes on to say “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt.” Now, most of you who are reading this devotion are Cajuns. Cajuns love their salt! Why? Because it makes whatever you eating taste better. I digress for a moment. Growing up, we even put salt on watermelon. I often wondered if people in different states eat watermelon with salt. Salt not only makes things taste better, but it is also a preservative. Do you see the image (metaphor) that Paul is trying to communicate here? When you talk to unbelievers, it should always be “seasoned” with grace (underserved favor). Unbelievers are not like believers. They usually don’t think like you. They usually don’t act like you. That is alright! We are supposed to communicate with them with grace! Why? What is the purpose? Look at the end of verse 6 “so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” Each person is different. Each person may have a different need. When you are walking by the Spirit of Christ, His wisdom will help you respond appropriately to each person. Remember, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge is found hidden in Christ (cf. 2:3). For Paul, it was always about the Gospel. It is very fitting that his last command to the readers in this book deals with how we treat outsiders. Let’s read a parallel passage in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 says:
“For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.
So, how are you treating “outsiders”? May the way we treat people always be seasoned with grace for the Kingdom of God’s sake! As we finish looking at Colossians, I will leave you with this; “Christ in you the hope of glory!” (You can read the remaining section of the book as Paul says his final personal remarks to the people of Colossae). See you next week for our review of Colossians – I can’t wait! Be praying that God will lead us to the Scripture He wants us to study next.