Gracioius and Attractive Conversation

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.  Colossians 4:5-6

Paul’s advice to a group of believers living in a largely pagan and idol-worshipping culture was to be wise in their conversation, literally, everything they do.  His emphasis on being “gracious and attractive” with words is especially telling.  There is an art to remaining on the higher plane when opponents continually hit below the belt!  It is an art I freely admit not having mastered.  When I think of  21^st century culture I’m convinced it’s a practice that needs to make a comeback. 

Pick a segment of the current culture, and describe it in terms of commitment to truth, kindness, honesty, or love; then think about if you’d recommend any of this culture’s ways be continued in Heaven.  Think about:  politics, media, law, entertainment, professional sports, or the corporate world.  Do you see much graciousness, love, or even the most rudimentary aspects of truth, kindness, or honesty?  Or is it primarily self-serving, rude, and incredibly false?  (I told you I hadn’t mastered gracious and attractive yet, but at least it must ring true).

So, if our culture aligns rather consistently with Colossian culture, where just getting through the day was a tough assignment, what was Paul aiming at?  What good could attractive, kind words make in that kind of environment?

I’m glad you asked.

Even amongst the least-religious, least-interested in faith or God, there is an image of God stamped on the soul.  Granted, that image may be long-faded, or muddled by worldly, Godless living, or just plain neglect of spiritual life, but it is there, and graciousness, kindness, and honesty, with words that match, will remind lost sheep that they have a home waiting for them when they’re done with the pigpen.

That, frankly, is the job description for found sheep, telling the lost ones about the way back to the Shepherd.  And when they won’t listen to preachers, or other religious professionals, because they’ve learned in this tough world to never trust anyone, it is the kind words, surprising honesty, and gracious ways of helpful sheep that will connect with that image of God on even the most hardened wanderer.

For You Today

It’s easy to fall into the ways of the world, because you’ll find approval there, from those who need a little propping-up in their own walk away from God.  But if you ever hope to rescue a lost sheep God is trying to reach, you’ll have to swim against the tide of rude, self-serving lies.  Gracious and attractive conversation…well, it’s more than just words.  In the original language, the word we have translated “conversation” means everything about the way you conduct your daily living. So, Paul is really saying go all-in for honesty, truthfulness, and being kind; those are the tools of the trade for any who wish to do God’s calling.

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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There are about 2,000 devotional posts in the Rocky Road Devotions library. 

To dig deeper on today’s topic read:  The Grumpy Christian

[1] Images:  Pixabay.com     Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©   

 

Thursday, January 7, 2021
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.  Ephesians 4:29b

If you’ve never had a cannoli, you’ve missed one culinary delight!  They’re shell pastries, stuffed with a delicious sweet, creamy filling, laced with little fruit bits.  Sometimes, when all the stars and planets align in your favor, the bakery showcase will contain some that have the shell coated in dark chocolate.  These desert treats are legendary in the Italian-American community.  I had never experienced having a cannoli until I married into that bunch; thank you, Lord!

My late father-in-law, Tony, was a master at consuming cannolis (or any other kind of pastries).  While we were still living in Florida in 1985 Elizabeth’s mom, Sofie, passed and Tony didn’t quite know how to occupy his time, so he kept the roads hot between Port Richey and Gainesville where we lived.  He would arrive, spend a few days with us spoiling our kids, and then hit the road (sometimes just leaving us a note in the middle of the night). 

Before he came to visit, he would call us to take orders for Italian pastries from Angelina’s, bakery, the cannoli Promised Land.  One of those calls proved that Paul’s advice about saying helpful words sometimes is just out of reach for mortals.

Tony’s hearing wasn’t spectacular.  When he called it was always a shouting match to get simply basic communication going.  Whenever he called before his road trip to visit us, it was known as the Cannoli call.  One such call created a family code that has endured the passing of generations.  Here’s how it went:

Tony:  I’m comin’ up; you want anything?

Elizabeth:  Angelina’s?  Tony:  Yeah. 

Elizabeth proceeded to detail the usual box-full, including, of course, a half-dozen cannolis. 

Tony:  OK…so you want angel puffs, crescents, and the cookies, and no cannoli?

Elizabeth:  Yes to all that, but we want the cannolis too.

Tony:  You want two cannolis?  

Elizabeth:  No, I said the cannolis too!

Tony:  That’s what I said?  

Elizabeth:  The cannolis?

Tony:  Yeah, you want two? 

Elizabeth:  Not just two, there won’t be enough for everybody.

Tony:  OK, so…no cannolis?  

Elizabeth:  Yes, we want the cannolis too.

Tony:  So, we’re back to two cannolis?  

Elizabeth:  Dad…bring the cannolis.

Tony:  What?  

Elizabeth:  The cannolis…get a box, OK?

Tony:  I’m getting the box…what do you want in it? 

Elizabeth:  Cannolis…bring enough for everybody.

Tony:  You don’t want the cookies, just the cannolis? 

Elizabeth:  Dad, do you want to live in a nursing home?

I’m not certain of the connection, but several weeks later Tony moved to Las Vegas.

From that phone call to this day, when someone in our family is having a hard time understanding the communication process it is known to us as (drum roll, please):

No Cannoli

Communication is, as the saying goes, an art as much as a science.  Without good, encouraging communication our lives are impoverished and less hopeful. 

It’s easy to get sidetracked into taking short cuts, thinking others surely understand what we’re saying.  But that is the death knell for relationship.

For You Today

Paul’s advice is to err on the side of good and helpful.  That takes patience and care for those who have trouble with communication.  Anything less is, well, no cannolis!

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day!

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[1] Title Image: Courtesy of Pixabay.com

Unless noted, Scripture quoted from The New Living Translation^©

For other posts on this text see Words That Destroy and Explicit Language