Conversations of Grace

Last week, I moved my daughter out of her college dorm room.  After a morning of packing and loading, and an afternoon of cleaning, we finished.  Although I had plenty of trash bags, I kept stuffing one full of trash and didn’t’ realize my mistake until I carried it downstairs.  It was heavy.  And the dumpster – a tall blue construction dumpster. How were we going to get it in there?

As we were contemplating this dilemma, a young man walked towards us.  My daughter asks, “Can you help us with this trash?”  His answer:

“Not my trash.  Not my problem.”

No eye contact, no changing his pace, just a deliberate swagger past two gals who could have really used some help.  I thought about saying something, but I had no words.  I was shocked by his audacity and self-absorption.

Don’t ask me how, but we got that bag into the dumpster.  On our way out of Lubbock, we stopped for some caffeine in the form of an iced latte and talked about those two phrases uttered so unkindly.  Our day had been intertwined with many young men and women that helped us at every turn – so this one minute of ugliness was overruled by many acts of kindness.  Thank goodness for the compassion of others, that it can swallow an act of selfishness.

I have pondered on his words over the last several days.   Words matter.  As we go through our day, we need to be mindful of them.  This verse has helped me do that for years.

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
Colossians 4:6 

When I taught high school, I had a salt shaker on my desk to remind me that my words need to always be gracious, preserving, flavorful, beneficial, and cleansing.  Yes, sometimes we need to be reminded of this.  We get caught up in life and ourselves and forget about others.  All of us need reminding that our words can impact others in ways we do not realize.  Positive and negative ways.

So, as you go throughout your day, let your words be gracious.  Let your words be like salt.  Carry around a salt shaker if you have to!  And remember – kind words can overcome harsh, offensive words and phrases and can leave a person with hope and love.

Heavenly Father,

  As your Son showed us how to be gracious, let me also be gracious to all that I meet along my way.  Let my words be loving and kind and helpful.  And, as I go through my day, let me ponder on whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, and whatever is commendable. For you, O Lord, are worthy of all of these things and worthy of all of our praise.
Amen