Today's Verse of the Day is the focus of this week's ToGather:

Make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:5-6).

Jesus called us to be preservative salt to a world of decay and flavor to a world that is flavorless and bland:

"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot" (Matthew 5:13).

Jesus has empowered each of us to have a strategic place in a circle of relationships to aid people of grace in helping others find their way to God and his grace in Jesus (1 Peter 2:9-10). Each opportunity we have with people is a special moment for us to be gracious, to treat others with gentleness and respect, and to use words that are seasoned in ways that help others hear the message of Jesus (1 Peter 3:15; Colossians 4:5-6).

Paul refers to this lifestyle as using every opportunity to season our words with salt. His point is the opposite of the English slang, "salty language" — which is coarse, profane, and crude language. Instead, our words are seasoned with graciousness because we hope to share the grace of God with others. Our goal is not to win arguments but to win hearts and help each person understand the hope we have in Jesus.

Jesus could use very stern language to confront religious people when they were hypocritical and judgmental. On the other hand, with the genuine seeker, the struggling follower longing to be more godly, and those broken by life, the Lord used tender language filled with grace and mercy. He is our example. Being gracious, gentle, and respectful and using words carefully seasoned to bless others are not compromising on right and wrong. This type of behavior is Jesus' way of extending an opportunity to the lost to find mercy and grace to help when people are needing it and open to it (Hebrews 4:16).

We hope you will join Phil as he shares a message on Colossians 4:5-6 and encourages us to use every opportunity we have to be salt. At the end of Phil's video, he will share some very practical ways to be salt to our families. This special feature at the end of the video is in response to the request of several for help on this specific issue.

We also hope you will join us for the whole ToGather Worship Video as we share in powerful songs that Demetrius has chosen to speak to our hearts about being a people of salt as we go where Jesus sends us and as we seek to be his gracious salt to people in need of his love.

Phil's Message for This Week

Full ToGather Worship Video

Special thanks for the use of images related to Jesus' ministry from The Lumo Project and Free Bible Images for use in both ToGather videos.