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By Wendy Fair Waterson
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As we move from a "stable" mentality to an "inn" mentality, there is a flagship verse that stands out strong, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) The message of Grace will minister to EVERY man! Because Grace is FOR every man! Before we launch into that verse, we must look at the context in which it lies by backing up a couple verses; "And at the same time pray for us also, that God may open a door to us for the Word (the Gospel), to proclaim the mystery concerning Christ... That I may proclaim it fully and make it clear [speak boldly and unfold that mystery], as is my duty. Behave yourselves wisely in your relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians), making the very most of the time and seizing (buying up) the opportunity." (Colossians 4:3-5 Amplified Bible)
We are to behave ourselves wisely in our relations with those of the outside world (the non-Christians) "redeeming the time," as the King James states it. The word translated as "redeeming" is exagorazo in Greek, and its meanings include- to buy up, to make wise and sacred use of every opportunity. Exagorazo is from the Greek words ex and agorazo. Ex is a primary preposition denoting origin, the point whence motion or action proceeds. Agorazo means to be in the market place, to attend it, to do business there, buy or sell. The word translated as "time" is kairos in Greek, its' meanings include- the appointed time, a fixed and definite time, the time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch waited for!
When we put these definitions together the verse is saying that the origin and place of action is the marketplace, in the appointed "kairos" time when things are brought to crisis, the decisive epoch we have waited for! You can view your job as "mundane" or you can view it as the place of action, the appointed time, the decisive epoch you have waited for! Real Life is not lived in your "deep Bible study" or your "third heaven spiritual worship experience" (although there is nothing wrong with these things). Real Life is lived in everyday life, facilitating "kairos" moments as we are interacting with neighbors, co-workers, and people we come into contact with. If your definition of "spirituality" removes you from people and interacting in the "marketplace" of life, then you need to rethink spirituality!
Grace is a Gift
Understanding the context, we can now go back to our verse, "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) As I said before, the message of Grace will minister to EVERY man! Because Grace is FOR every man! "As EVERY man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold GRACE of God." (1Peter 4:10) Grace is a gift, we do nothing to earn it, and every person has received it. The scripture in Acts 4:33 speaks of "great grace." I believe that the way we begin to move in "great grace" is to give away the grace we have already been given.
We are called to be stewards of His manifold grace. The word translated as stewards is oikonomos in Greek, and its meanings include- the manager of household affairs, a superintendent to whom the head of the house or proprietor has intrusted the management of his affairs, the care of receipts and expenditures, and the duty of dealing out the proper portion to every servant and even to the children not yet of age.
When children are young, they may well be of royal or privileged lineage, and yet not know or understand it. Likewise, I believe that there are many of God's children in the world who simply don't know their true identity yet. We are entrusted with the job of stewarding His manifold grace, of ministering grace to every man, whether they know their identity or not!
To be continued.
Doug Fortune
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