Salty Speech

Journee watched eagerly as her grandmother began to make popcorn. "Tell me about school, Journee," said Grandma. "Have you made new friends?"Journee sighed. "Not really. I've tried to make friends, but it's not easy to move to a new town and go to a new school, Grandma."As Journee talked about the kids at school, Grandma noticed that she complained about many of them. "Are you being friendly to them?" Grandma asked. Journee shrugged, watching as Grandma poured popcorn into a bowl and handed it to her.Journee took the bowl and began to eat the popcorn. But then she frowned and put the bowl down. "It needs salt," she said."Oh, that's right!" said Grandma. "I forgot the kind I popped was salt-free--Grandpa wasn't allowed to have salt for a while, you know." She reached for the salt shaker. "I'm wondering if your attempts to make friends might be something like this popcorn," she added."Like popcorn?" asked Journee. "What do you mean?""Well, without salt, there isn't much flavor to popcorn," said Grandma. "The Bible says our speech is like that too--it needs salt. I'm just wondering if you're using it."Journee made a face. "You're not saying I should carry a salt shaker around and sprinkle some on my tongue before I talk, are you?" Grandma laughed and shook her head. "No, but you need to recognize that if your words are negative, complaining, or focused only on yourself, people won't want any more after the first taste. But if your words are seasoned with salt--if you're saying things that are helpful and kind and let people know you care about them--they'll like talking with you and will come back for more." She handed Journee the bowl of popcorn. "Try this again," said Grandma. "See how it is now."Journee took the bowl and put some in her mouth. "Yum!" she said. "Salt really makes a difference!"Grandma nodded. "Ask God to help you use a little salt at school tomorrow too. Since you know Jesus, you can show the same love and care for others that He does. Trust Him to help you season your words with His love and be a friend like Him." –Sheri Shaw