Be Careful What You Say – September 5, 2021
Old Testament, James 3:1-12
September 5, 2021
For a couple of weeks now, we’ve been looking at the book of James. And as I considered what to focus on this week, it didn’t take long before deciding to look at this next chapter, chapter 3. Because here, James continues to give us some practical advice about living the faith. James was a very practical person! And this advice in chapter 3 is something that I believe is extremely important in our times! James tells us that we need to “be careful what we say.”
As you know, I’m a grammar “fiend.” (Some would say “Grammar Nazi,” but that has such a bad connotation!) And I think part of why I am that way is probably the engineer father in me – and the RN (Registered Nurse) mother! But part of that is that I am fascinated with language!
We humans don’t even think about it, but with our mouths we can utter sounds that have meaning when heard by other humans! We’ve been doing it for eons! But somewhere along the line, we figured out how to notate those sounds on paper, or stone or parchment, and then recreate those sounds later. And in doing so, we can then re- create that meaning in our minds once again, or we can transfer that meaning to others! That’s fascinating to me!
Think about what it was like before humans invented writing. Or think about what it was like before literacy became universal. For centuries, many people spoke the human language all their lives, and never learned to read or write. They couldn’t imagine what it would even look like, or fathom how to use it, if it were written in front of them. It’s hard for us to imagine what that would be like – being literate ourselves. (Most of us, anyway!)
Then behold, one of the greatest inventions ever came about around the year 1500AD. I mentioned this several weeks ago. That’s when Johannes Gutenberg perfected the movable type printing press. That was a “modern miracle” of his time! It allowed the common people to have printed material of their own. And that gave them the ability to be educated. They began to read and write the words they had been speaking. That changed the course of history!
However, in our scripture for today, James observed that the human language isn’t all wonder and ingenuity. Language can also have its negative side! He warns us that we need to be, as my sermon title says, “careful what we say!” James so beautifully describes what the tongue is like in speaking our words. He describes how putting a bit in a horse’s mouth controls the whole animal. He talks about the small rudder on a ship that steers the whole vessel. He described these small things that control big and powerful things!
That’s what the tongue is like, he says. It’s a small part of us, but it can have big effects in our world. He tells us how our words can be used to bless God, and they can also be used to curse people. And the problem is that once our words are out of our mouths, it’s very hard to take them back in. They’ve already had their effect. I heard once that, “Words are like toothpaste. Once you’ve squeezed toothpaste out of the tube, there’s no putting it back in there!”
Too many people don’t think of that. They just let their words fly! They don’t take care to control them. I’ve known people, and maybe you have, too, who say, “I’m the kind of person who just says whatever is on my mind.” And they wear that, like it’s a badge of honor. And when I hear that, I try to say – as gently as possible – “You know, that isn’t such a good personality trait!”
As we read this passage from James, I think it’s no coincidence that the second half of this chapter is about wisdom! We need to use wisdom when we speak our words! And we need to us another wonderful Pauline, New Testament word, the word “discernment.” Discernment means choosing carefully what we’re going to say, or not say!
I think all of this is becoming even more important, and more ignored, in our age! Because now we have something worse than our tongues to worry about! We have computers! We have smart phones! We have email! We have social media! And don’t get me wrong, those are all wonderful tools! I love the technology! We’re now able to broadcast our worship services! And we have voice recognition and smart speakers. Now we can even use our words to talk to our technology! We can tell our technology to turn on lights and lock doors. And our technology can talk back to us!
All that is wonderful! But! We need to use that thing called “wisdom” when we used our technology. Because often, in electronic communication, something bad happens. James warns us of the dangers of our tongues. He would warn us about getting emotional and blurting out words we may regret later. Words that are out of the toothpaste tube! But now, in an impersonal and instantaneous way, people will type things on a computer screen – especially when they’re upset – and hit “Send,” with no restraint. They “say” things to people, by electronic communication, that they would never say face to face.
I believe very strongly that we need to have guidelines, we need to have sensible rules, we need to exercise judgment and wisdom when we use these very powerful media. And that’s one of my first rules, and I think it’s a good one! Never send a message to someone that you wouldn’t say to them in person!
People today need to learn that rule! Because often they deliberately, or accidentally, say things to others that are hurtful. And in some social media it becomes even worse, because what they say can be spread instantaneously in so many ways, to people they didn’t realize might see it! Now, what is “shared” on our “pages” goes places we never dreamed it would go!
Christians used to talk about “gossip,” as though it were a bad thing. Well, gossip is a bad thing! Simply put, gossip is saying something about a person when they are not present. And that can be very hurtful! So, my rule number two is, not only should we be careful not to type (and send or post) anything we wouldn’t say to a person’s face. We also shouldn’t talk about someone, (or type and send or post) when they are not present! Because that’s gossip. And that’s another way our words can be hurtful.
The only exception to that rule is if we’re going to say something nice about somebody! My mother used to say – and I’ll bet yours did, too – that, if we didn’t have something nice to say about someone, we shouldn’t say anything at all!
I believe what James is saying here is so important! Our words are so far-reaching, and they are so powerful! We must choose them wisely! And we must exercise that great word “discernment.” Again, that means deciding what to say and what not to say. Because remember, “Words are like toothpaste!”
I believe, as God’s people, we need to make those choices every day, the choice to use our words “to bless, and not to curse,” as Paul told the Romans. (Romans 12) Maybe you remember these words of Paul. And again, these are words of a spoken language, notated on a page so that we can recreate them, aloud or in our minds, and we can have them to remember for all posterity. And these are good ones!
Paul told the Philippians, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Philippians 4:8) And I would add (and I believe Paul would be good with this!) don’t just think about these things, but say these things!
So many people want to focus on the negative in our world. Just look at the news! Read people’s posts on Facebook. So many people choose to criticize, to find fault, to look for the bad in people.
We as God’s people are called to be different. We are called to use our words to lift up, not tear down. We are called to bless others, and not to curse. And it’s a constant battle to do so. And it’s not easy sometimes. But those are the choices we are called to make. So, for God’s sake – for the sake of his kingdom – be careful what you say!
Prayer
Eternal God, help us to know your wisdom. Help us to see with your eyes. Help us to love with your heart! May the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts truly be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. For this we pray in Jesus’ name, and for the sake of his kingdom in our midst, Amen.