Let Your Conversation Be Full of Grace

SERIES: Don't Be The Same, Be Better (1 of 3)
Let Your Conversation Be Full of Grace

On the job, you have to treat people right, even if they don’t do the same for you. And, if you want to do well in your career, you have to become a better officer over time. Over the next couple weeks, I’d like to think/talk about what would happen if we took that same approach in our personal lives. Don’t be the same, be better! I don’t know about you, but I would like to add value to the lives of those around me, and I’d like to be better at it this year than I was last year.

One way to do this is what I call “extending grace”. The Apostle Paul once challenged a group of people, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” That is an interesting thought: let the words you say cut people some slack, give them the benefit of the doubt and not give them what they deserve because of a dumb thing they may have said or done. Seasoned with salt...like salt makes food taste better, let your words make a situation better. And knowing how to answer everyone...you understand that from your job. There is no one way to say something best every time. You look at the situation, look at the people involved, look at the desired outcome and then find the best way to communicate. But all of this takes GRACE, because sometimes people are just difficult.

I did a funeral recently and when I typed the obituary into the printed funeral program, I inadvertently skipped the line naming sisters of the deceased. I caught it before the ceremony and read their names then, but after everyone went home, one of the sisters discovered my mistake. I was not there when she came back to the church, but she made no small scene, ripped up the program and left it on the front porch of the church. I printed a corrected copy of the program, went to her house, explained what happened and apologized. The woman was embarrassed for her behavior, apologized as well & thanked me. Grace won the day!

Chuck Swindoll once said, “When others are expecting retaliation, offer grace instead. It will blow their mind…” and bring peace to yours! Be better...be full of GRACE this year!

Your service is appreciated,
Pastor Rob

Links to other posts in this series: Don't Be The Same, Be Better - Part 2, Part 3