Use your heads as you live and work among outsiders. Don't miss a trick. Make the most of every opportunity. Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out. (The Message)
Colossians 4:2-6
This passage is an encouragement to pray and be ready for opportunities that arise for us to share Christ and His love with others, often found under a heading aptly referring to "Christian Graces." It is useful to understand the context, as the preceding portion of Colossians is labeled in most Bibles as "Rules" or "Guidelines" of a Christian Home. It speaks about how we should relate to others in a variety of relationships: husbands and wives, parents and children, employees and employers. Then this particular passage moves on to how we interact with others - in some translations it says "outsiders." This may be a casual acquaintance or a stranger. We are to be prayerfully ready to make the most of every opportunity to serve Christ in the people we encounter on a daily basis. We need to be equipped with speech filled with grace, which is not always easy in this hectic life. How many times have we said, "I should have said this." or "I should have done that"? In other Bible translations, the passage emphasizes "continuing in prayer" in order to have the wisdom to "know how to answer each one." Perhaps during Lent we can all take extra time to pray and be aware of the opportunities God is giving us to be like Christ to the people He puts in our path. Also remember, it's up to us to take action and carry out what He is inspiring us to do. The ball is in our court, what will we do with it?
Laura Miller (2011)
