Global Mission, Local Vision
The first characteristic of prayer is “watch-fulness.” The term implies mental alertness. The Colossians’ prayers were to be in tune with the times.
The Colossians were to pray with mental alertness. Presumably, this meant that they were to know the circumstances of life, particularly those which affected the spread of the gospel. Informed prayer is likely to be more purposeful, personal, and powerful.
This kind of prayer sees clearly the obstacles and difficulties but recognizes that God is able to work. The circumstances need not affect one’s joy.
Paul always sought ways to communicate the gospel. No one had better skills to turn any situation into an opportunity for witness. In these verses, Paul disclosed the reason for his success in witness as well as the reason he hoped to speak. His success was because he looked to the Lord to supply the wisdom for the opportunity. They were to pray that he would find an open door. The apostle lived for such opportunities that were often the redeeming virtues of his circumstances.103 He knew, however, that God provided these doors of ministry.
Paul looked for new situations in which he could make the gospel known. On the one hand, Paul did not pray specifically for a “preaching point,” as though that were the only approved means of spreading the gospel. On the other hand, v. 3 makes clear that Paul thought it imperative to speak the word. He hoped, therefore, for an oral ministry. He hoped further that he would do justice to the nature of the gospel so that the witness would be clear
Wisdom was necessary because of their Christian testimony. The “ones outside” (exō) needed examples of God’s wisdom. The parallel passage in Eph 5:16 suggests that the reason for wisdom in the use of time is that “the days are evil.”
The fact that the verb “make the most of” occurs with the statement to be wise suggests that there was an opportunity to take. When Paul stated that the wisdom was directed toward non-Christians (“outside”), he followed it immediately with the statement about time. He may have thought, therefore, in terms of making the most of time to win unsaved people to the Lord. Perhaps he reflected on his own limited opportunities as he awaited trial. The church should realize all of its opportunities to be of service to God and the world.
In the give-and-take of life, both the content of words spoken and the method of speaking matter. Paul continued his exhortations to the believers by addressing their speech. Two statements illustrate the nature of Christians’ talk: in grace and with salt.
Paul took a common expression and infused it with Christian meaning. The result is something like: “Let your speech be always with the graciousness appropriate to Christians, i.e., those who live in a state of grace.”
Salt had three uses at that time. It could preserve a food, “sterilize” a food (antiseptic), or season a food. Here Paul took the last meaning. Conversation was to be seasoned, i.e., acceptable and inoffensive.
Sound answers offered with a positive spirit overcome many obstacles to the gospel. This text emphasizes the method of answering more than the content. It calls for Christian graciousness and sensitivity to the person and situation
