Colossians – Week 8
October 31 – Colossians
Colossians 4:5, Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders;
Paul has just asked for prayers that he and his team will proclaim the gospel well. He knows the great challenge to communicate the eternal things of God into a secular world. In fact, it is impossible to do so on our own. We need the help of heaven if we are going to be effective communicators of Jesus to a dying world.
So, Paul transitions from asking for such help in prayer to speaking to the Colossians (and to us) in how they are to be effective witnesses of their faith.
The description for ‘the way you act” can also be written as “you walk, as you live, as you conduct your life.” I like the imagery, that as we walk around doing our daily business that we are to live wisely in our interactions with those who are not in the faith.
Paul was concerned that Christians would engage others effectively in proclaiming the gospel. This entails living a holy life that is pleasing to God and prompts unbelievers to wonder why Christians are so different from others.
Such holy living separates itself from the evil and dark ways of the world in which Paul has already addressed. We do not compromise our beliefs or our lifestyle to connect with the world. We must make sure that we are not being hypocritical by claiming the Christian faith and failing to live that same faith.
To be wise requires humility. We cannot be the loudest or the proudest people in our network of relationships. A humble spirit will be noticed and appreciated much more easily than the opposite.
To be wise requires positivity. A negative spirit is not attractive. Such a positive person is grateful for all that they have rather than complaining about what they do not have. They are not quick to be cynical or critical. They bring light into a conversation rather than add to the darkness. They are an encouraging and uplifting presence.
To be wise is to be joyful. This fits with positivity but is separated out because it seems to be the one character trait that those outside the faith ask the most about followers of Jesus. Why are you so happy all the time?
There is so much more to consider but to live wisely is to live like Jesus who loved well and offered life to everyone he met. Through the presence of the Holy Spirit, Christ in us, may we do the same.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:5. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Question(s) to consider: What does wise living look like for you? What other character traits would you add to the list above?
November 1 – Colossians
Colossians 4:5, Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Paul further defines what wisdom looks like in relating to those outside the faith. We will make the most of each opportunity. We will make the most of each interaction and conversation with others. We need to believe that God wants to use each of us for his kingdom’s sake.
We also need to understand that the enemy is looking for opportunities to bring more and more darkness and brokenness into the world.
Mark 14:10-11, Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. They were delighted to hear this and promised to give him money. So he watched for an opportunity to hand him over.
If Satan used one of Jesus’ twelve disciples to look for an opportunity to arrest the Son of God, then we know he can do the same with us. Opportunities become available for us to be tempted and to succumb to temptation. Opportunities are given for us to fail at our witness. Opportunities are given for us to turn away from Jesus. So, on the dark side, opportunities abound.
However, we must also know and be confident that we are given opportunities by God to shine the light of truth and love into the world.
So, Paul would encourage believers in many of his letters to be looking and prepared for the opportunities that God graciously gives us to be a positive witness, to be his hands and feet, to be his voice on earth.
Galatians 6:9-10, Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.
The harvest is coming if we do not give up in doing the good that the Holy Spirit works through us for others to experience, including the people of God. In similar language to our verse for today, Paul said this,
Ephesians 5:15-17, Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
May our daily prayer be that we will live wisely making the most of the opportunities we are given to be a bright shining light for the kingdom of God.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:5. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Question(s) to consider: What opportunities are you being given? What are you doing with them?
November 2 – Colossians
Colossians 4:6, Let your conversation be always full of grace…
This instruction is still in the larger topic of how we are to be wise in our interactions with those outside the faith. Paul turns to the conversation that we will have with them.
First, the conversation is to be full of grace. We do not approach those on the outside with judgment or condemnation. We come with the attitude of bearing a gift- the gift of life.
As we begin our conversation, we may offer a quick prayer. We ask the Lord for help to make the most of the exchange. We recognize that we do not have what it takes on our own. We, literally, have no power to influence, change, or lead anyone to consider Christ without the presence of the Holy Spirit. We are totally dependent on the Lord. So, we ask for help.
We envision ourselves as a tool in the Lord’s hands. We are not acting on our own but rather responding to the leading of Christ. We want the grace of Christ to shine through us in both actions and words.
To be full of grace does not mean we will lead someone to Christ in every conversation. More than likely, we will plant spiritual seeds. We might even be used to water them, to add to what others have already planted. Occasionally, if we are paying attention, we will have the sweet joy of asking if they are ready to receive Jesus at that moment.
So, to be full of grace is a place of humility where we refuse to come on too strong. We will position ourselves to do more listening than talking. We will ask good questions. More on that tomorrow. We will listen compassionately not seeking to be understood but to understand.
We will keep praying and ask the Holy Spirit to give us the right words in response as we respond in the conversation. It might only be one word or one thought that we need to offer. We do not need to force anything, but we want to be obedient to the leading of the Spirit for each opportunity given to us.
Jesus offers a great example of a grace-filled conversation with the Samaritan woman at the well. He first asked her if she would give him a drink. She replied back, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” She knew that Jews do not associate with Samaritans. So, Jesus’ decision to talk with her was an act of grace. Then Jesus masterfully said, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” As the conversation continued, Jesus responded to her questions, and she pleaded to have this living water.
This is how the Holy Spirit can lead us as we listen to Him and respond to others.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:5. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Question(s) to consider: Think about a recent conversation with someone outside the faith. Was it a conversation full of grace? Were you able to shine the light of Jesus within it? Would you say or do anything differently next time?
November 3 – Colossians
Colossians 4:6, Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt,
Paul adds to the description of what our conversation is to be with those outside the faith. It is not only to be full of grace but seasoned with salt. We are to add flavor by being winsome in our conversations so that what we say is interesting and appealing to others.
At the 2022 Global Leadership Summit, Vanessa Van Edwards spoke about human connection. Thanks to Trey McClain for his excellent notes on this talk since I was not able to hear it in person. Researcher Dan McAdams has found there are three levels of connection.
Level 1 includes general traits like occupation, hometown, and family status. We are on social autopilot as we communicate on his level and are not able to fully connect with others here.
Level 2 elevates to personal concerns that include goals, worries, values, motivations, and personality traits. Here we know what keeps others up at night and gets them up in the morning. In an experiment of 500 speed networkers, they gave everyone six conversation starters. They asked them to track their connection level. The lowest ranking questions were: How are you? What do you do? So, if we want to season our conversations with salt, we may want to remove those two questions.
Level 3 is our self-narrative. It is the story we tell ourselves about ourselves. It creates how we make sense of our journey and purpose through life. Three common self-narratives are hero, healer, and victim. The hero thinks of mistakes as obstacles that with hard work can be overcome. The healer is dedicated to a life of service. The victim faces obstacles but struggles to overcome and get out of this mentality.
To better communicate, here are some suggested questions to season your speech:
Level 1: What was the highlight of your day? What personal passion project are you working on? Have anything exciting coming up in your life? Have any fun plans coming up this weekend? How’s the hobby/family member/project? (Remember what energized them in the past and ask about it.)
Level 2: What’s your biggest goal right now? Are you learning anything? What book, TV, or movie character is most like you? What’s weighing on your mind? Can I help you with anything? What’s your story?
Level 3: How do you feel most misunderstood? What’s something most people don’t know about you? What forces shaped your personality and made you who you are? Who’s your hero? What’s the proudest moment of your life?
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:5. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Question(s) to consider: On what level do you most often converse? How will you use these questions to season your conversations with others?
November 4 – Colossians
Colossians 4:6, Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
This instruction brings to mind the wise counsel Solomon spoke in Proverbs,
Proverbs 15;1, A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
We are to be gentle people with gentle words because it empowers the conversation to continue in a positive way. Paul exhorts this for Christ-followers to speak graciously and kindly to unbelievers. The gospel message becomes more attractive if we are attractive in our witness. We should remember that the goal is to win a soul rather than to win an argument.
There may be another dynamic going on as well. These verses, with their call for discreet behavior in an unbelieving society, may reflect the fact that charges of misconduct were being falsely manufactured against Christians. Paul urged the Colossian Christians to be all the more careful, living in such an exemplary way as to give no foundation for such slander.
In our two verses for this week, Paul makes two appeals. In verse 5, he tells us to be wise in how we live and in verse 6 to be wise in how we speak. In doing so, we will not only remove any unfounded suspicions about us as Christ-followers but will further the hearing and reception of the Gospel.
This is reminiscent of what the Apostle Peter wrote,
1 Peter 3:15, But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,
This exhortation follows Paul’s word to the Colossians in that they were to honor Christ with their lives, and they must be ready when called on to defend our faith. Because we have encountered Christ and know His word, we have ample material to offer the reason for our hope in Jesus.
Peter also describes that we are to be gentle and respectful as we do so. The way we communicate is just as important as what we communicate. We are to do so with love in our hearts for all to come to know Christ.
Along with Paul, Peter gives us a great challenge to always be ready to give the reason for the hope we have. We should have a one-minute testimony ready to go whenever it is asked for. If we do not, today would be a good day to think through what it would be.
Memory Verse: Colossians 4:5. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.
Question(s) to consider: Do you have a brief testimony of why you are a follower of Christ?
Who will you share it with?