When it comes to words, the Bible instructs us to season our words carefully. I love the imagery here as it makes me think of a chef standing over a stove and sprinkling herbs into the dish. The two items that are recommended for seasoning our words are salt and honey. While I’ve used both of these ingredients in the kitchen, I had to conduct some research to determine where in the Bible they are mentioned and to understand what was being said.
The first ingredient we will look at is honey. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweet and delightful to the soul and healing to the body.” When I read this, it prompted me to ask questions like, “What are the healing properties of honey?” Or “what’s the symbolism. Why choose honey?” To answer these questions, I had to do some research, and let me tell you that it did not disappoint.
It turns out that honey has numerous health benefits. It’s high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, and has been used for centuries as a natural remedy to heal wounds, burns, and reduce inflammation. Honey has also been known to possess properties that help improve hair and skin when used in hair and facial masks. Its soothing properties provide relief for sore throats, coughs, and digestive issues. It is beneficial for individuals with blood sugar issues due to its natural sugar form, which also helps decrease heart issues and provides natural energy boosts.
During the days of the early church (Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire), honey was a symbol of abundance. It would have been the sweetest known substance at that time. Fun fact – honey never expires. Records of edible honey being found in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back over 3,000 years have been documented! This is because it is naturally antimicrobial (meaning it never grows mold or bacteria).
The color of honey varies depending on the flowers from which it is made, resulting in a range of shades. With time, honey will crystallize or solidify. The speed at which this happens is reflective of the purity of the honey. It’s still usable and edible; it just takes on a different form. It can be used as is, or you can reliquify it.
Once I learned all of this about honey, it made me ask, “So, what does all this mean about how I am to speak or the words I’m to use? What is the real-world application?” Let’s break it down. We know that our words are to be sweet and delightful based on the verse, but let’s dig deeper. Our words are supposed to be like honey; to me, this says that when I’m speaking, it should have the same qualities. They should bring health, be abundant, and be lasting.
That means my words should be healthy. They should bring peace, not inflame the situation or irritate the hearer. When you are in a challenging situation, is what you are saying bringing peace? Is it allowing the hearer to digest it easily and with comfort? Words should help heal wounds or soothe the pain, not inflict pain or leave wounds in their wake. When you speak, are you hurting or healing? Do your words make things look better, or did they make it worse?
We also discussed that honey is a symbol of abundance. Not only should we bring healing when we speak, but we shouldn’t be stingy with our words. Now, I’m not suggesting that you go around flattering people; that’s not right. But what I am saying is that we can give a compliment, even to our enemies. You can always find something nice to say to someone or a way to encourage them. We need to remember that everyone is going through something, everyone has battles they are facing. It is our job to inspire, uplift, and direct them to Christ. Sometimes that’s by saying something, and sometimes it’s by simply encouraging them through the day. Those small drops of honey that you leave in someone’s life are the things that could make the difference. They are the seeds you plant that grow into deep-rooted trees of faith.
When I think about how honey crystallizes, it makes me think that sometimes the words we speak do the same. Think about it. If someone encourages me, it crystallizes and hardens. Those are the moments that get me through the day. They harden and help heal my heart, shielding it from the bacteria of bitterness or the mold of hurt that comes from day-to-day life in a corrupt world. They keep me from growing wounds, and no matter the source, its color is always beautiful, and it’s always edible, which means I can keep coming back to it. That is the power of a sweet and delightful word; it leaves the listener wanting more, even if they don’t realize it.
The second ingredient that is mentioned is salt. We are told in Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Like honey, I want to take a moment to examine salt and understand why it is significant enough to be mentioned.
We use salt as a flavor enhancer. Salt makes everything better. If you don’t believe me, eat a French fry that has not been adequately salted. My grandmother, rest her soul, never understood how to salt food. It was bland, and no matter what she put in, it wouldn’t get better. Salt not only enhances the flavor of the food, but it also enhances the other spices as well. It engages your senses and makes you want more. Do your words leave someone wanting more? Do they come to you often for advice and wisdom or just for gossip and to tell you trivial things?
Throughout ancient times and to this day, salt has also been used as a preservative. There are three types of preserving that use salt: dry packing, brining, and curing. Dry packing is accomplished by packing meat between layers of salt and letting it sit. The salt then pulls all the moisture out of the meat, including the bacteria, and creates an inhospitable environment for decay. This type of preservation is used with salted fish or country ham.
Brining is the process of submerging food in salt water. Over time, the salt penetrates the food, altering the flavor and inhibiting microbial growth. This process is most commonly used in combination with fermentation. If you have ever had feta cheese, pickles, or olives, you have experienced the brine that comes along with it. It’s also a common way to prepare your Thanksgiving or Christmas turkey.
Lastly, there is curing. Curing is a process where sugar, salt, spices, and nitrates are combined and then rubbed or packed into food. Again, salt acts as a drawing agent, removing moisture and inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria, while also nourishing the beneficial bacteria. This preservation tactic is typically followed by drying or smoking the meat and is probably the most common, as seen with bacon, jerky, ham, or pastrami.
What you need to know about the preservation tactics is that each one takes time, consistency, proximity, and intention. When we consider the use of salt in preservation and how that relates to words, we should be mindful of measuring our words carefully, applying them with purpose and intention, and being willing to be patient while the listener digests or considers them. You don’t want to eat uncured ham or jerky, and likewise, we want our listeners to have time to finish curing.
Not only does salt enhance flavor and help preserve food, but it also offers health benefits, much like honey does. The health benefits of salt include antiseptic properties, detoxification, and preservation of purity. As it is used in preserving food, salt, when gargled or used to rinse, can help remove bacteria from wounds. When I was young, my mother would always make me gargle with salt water when I had just vomited, had a sore throat, or had lost a tooth. It helped remove any bacteria and keep my mouth clean. She and my father also insisted that we soak any splinter in salt water before they would remove it. Not only did this sterilize the area, but it also helped eliminate any bacteria that could have led to an infection.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned to take a salt bath every so often. It’s helped remove impurities, toxins, and inflammation, keeping my skin clear. We forget that when we speak, we are also listening to ourselves. Seasoning our words with salt not only helps others, but it also helps remove the impurities within ourselves. Bitter words, gossip, or slander (a false spoken statement that damages someone’s reputation) are infections. They spread hurt, lies, and anger. But when we speak with salt and honey (caution and care), we can inhibit their corruption. Your words can become a verbal disinfectant, cleansing and restoring the conversation.
I found the concept of salt as a purifier interesting. Throughout the Old Testament, God called His people to be consecrated and to offer the first fruits of all their labor and harvests as an offering. These offerings were to be seasoned with salt. It was a way of consecrating the offering and setting it apart. We are called to be seasoned with salt. Meaning we should be set apart, an offering to God, in all we say and do. Do your words set you apart from the world? Would they know that you are different just in what you say? Do you encourage purity in those around you? When you stand before God and he looks at what you say, will it be pure and worthy of his attention?
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Whispers of Christ 