COMMUNICATING GRACEFULLY

Related Scripture:

“Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity.  Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

 Colossians 4:5-6 [NIV]

What does membership in the Fellowship of Christian Officials (FCO) mean when you go on the field or court?  You may wear FCO apparel to your meetings, or on the way to games.  What does that mean to other officials.  In all likelihood, you will be working with Christians who aren’t members of FCO, and/or with non-Christians.  How you interact with those officials before, during, and after the contests is very important.  The Apostle Paul words to the Colossians can be a good guideline for those interactions.

It takes Godly wisdom to make the most of every opportunity God gives us to relate meaningfully to others.  While expressing our faith is very important, other aspects of our interactions with fellow officials are also meaningful.  The officials we work with will have different levels of spiritual understanding and different needs.  God provides wisdom through the Holy Spirit to enable you to act appropriately.  Paul tells us that our conversations should be “full of grace.”   God’s grace comes to believers through Jesus Christ.  Conversations that demonstrate grace will reflect the “mind of Christ” in all we say.  Paul’s definition of “salty” talk is different from what you might think.  Salt is a seasoning that is added to food to enhance flavor.  Our talk should add a Godly flavor to our interactions with other officials.

Questions to Ponder:

Do my conversations with fellow-officials reflect well on my faith walk?

What can I do to live my faith more meaningfully with fellow officials?

Dr. Ralph Swearngin - Union City, GA - Former GHSA Executive Director