Walk In Wisdom

5Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. 6Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
While in middle school, my family moved in with my grandmother.  She had an attic fan.  I loved the attic fan.  We would open the windows on nice evenings, turn on the attic fan, and it was like the outside had moved in.  Since I haven’t seen or heard of an attic fan since her home, I assume that most of you are confused.  An attic face is a large fan that blows from the inside of the house into the attic, creating a low pressure inside.  This causes the outside air to rush in through all the windows.  It is wonderful on nice evenings.  If you know what I’m talking about, then you know.
If we don’t walk with wisdom, then our mind is like my grandmother’s house with the attic fan on.  Every form of idea is sucked  into your mind and is embraced without question. When a thought blows in, the simple minded person takes it to heart. The simple mind can’t discern what matters.  A wise mind opens judiciously, discerns the value of ideas, and embraces godly thoughts and wisdom. We’ve all been that deer-in-the-headlights kind of person—an easy mark for worldly thinking. But when God’s Word pours wisdom into our lives, it becomes evident in our comments, insights, and understanding.

In Paul and Timothy’s letter to the church in Colossae we are told to “[w]alk in wisdom with outsiders”.  To walk in wisdom refers to having a knowledge of God’s will (Micah 6:8, Ephesians 5:15-20, 1 Peter 2:15-17, 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5,7, 1 Timothy 2:1-4, for examples of God’s will) and walk worthy of the Lord.  In the first chapter of Colossians we are told what it means to walk worthy of the Lord.   Colossians 1:9 says, “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God".
We are also told to make “the best use of the time”.  How do we do that?  When we speak we are to let our words matter for the Kingdom. We are mandated to redeem the time with how we speak to others. In other words let your words be full of care. Seeking to rebuild, restore, heal, and bringing forth life.  Now the World is relentless speaking and filling our hearts and heads with lies and accusations, destroying the hearts of man. You must not allow your mind to be like an attic fan house, sucking in the World.  When people encounter you the light of Christ must shine through your presence and your words.  You must be gracious and wise allowing God to influence you and use you to bring redemption, healing and life.
  1. When do words not matter when in engaged in a conversation?
  2. When do they not reveal an aspect of our character or have the potential to influence others?

--Zine Smith

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