Our conversation should be interesting. My final point is that the conversation of Christians should be interesting, which is the way I understand the phrase “seasoned with salt.” Salt had various uses in the ancient world, the chief one being that it was used as a preservative. There was no refrigeration then, of course. So if meat was to be preserved, for instance, the only way of doing it was by smoking it or curing it with salt. Jesus was probably thinking about this use of salt when he told his disciples that they were “the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13). He meant that it is due to the influence of godly people that the world is not a more rotten place than it is.

Our comments should be discerning. This is what Paul is speaking about when he tells us to “make the most of every opportunity.” Not every moment of our day contains opportunities for sharing the gospel or speaking a timely or encouraging word. In fact, some moments are decidedly inopportune. If people in your company are rushing to satisfy a customer by meeting a critical deadline, that is not the time to distract them by opening a serious discussion about sin. If you are asked to honor an employee who is retiring after thirty years of good service, that is not the time to ask, “By the way, do all of you know the four spiritual laws?” That would be inappropriate, unwise, and offensive.