South Presbyterian Church

Founded 1723

150 West Church Street
Bergenfield, NJ 07621

Sunday, September 17, 2006

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 19:7-10
New Testament Reading: James 3:1-12

THE POWER OF WORDS

Communication experts tell us that — thanks to telephones, voice-mail, and cell phones — the average person speaks enough words to fill twenty, single-spaced, typewritten pages every day.  That means our tongues crank out enough words to fill two books of three hundred pages each month, twenty-four books each year, and twelve hundred books in fifty years of speaking.  And these days we don’t just talk with our mouths.  Thanks to e-mail, which we can even access with our cell-phones and palm pilots and blackberries — we use our keypads to communicate almost as much as we do our tongues.  The plain truth is that talking comprises a large part of our lives and if Jesus is going to truly be Lord, we need to learn how our faith should affect our speech.

In fact the POWER of speech is one of the greatest powers that God has given us.  A minister once began his sermon in a most unusual way.  The very first thing he did was ask the congregation to stand up.  That caught everyone by surprise, because they were used to settling in at that point in the service.  But after a moment’s hesitation, one by one they straggled to their feet.  Then the minister told them to turn around and face the back, then turn back toward the front and sit down again.  By this time the people were thoroughly confused, wondering what in the world was going on.  Finally their pastor explained, “I did this to illustrate the power of words in our lives.  As you have just witnessed, WORDS MAKE THINGS HAPPEN.”

Not only do words make things happen, but in today’s world the misuse of the right word, or an inappropriate expression can mean public ridicule, or instant expulsion from the ranks of power, responsibility and authority.

One of the qualities that allowed the Letter of James to be selected for inclusion in the New Testament was its insightfulness into human behavior.  Part of the chapter read this morning accurately describes how our words reveal who we are.  In fact he addresses the subject of human speech repeatedly in his letter.  In Chapter 1 he urges the church to be swift to hear and slow to speak.  A few verses later he states that the religion of a believer who does not know how to bridle his tongue is worthless.  Speech is mentioned in some way in every chapter of his little epistle.  You might say that James expresses himself more strongly about the dangers of the tongue than does any other New Testament writer.  It makes you think that he must have had a lot of experience as a pastor confronting speech abuse.

In Chapter 3:2, he reminds us, and keep in mind he is addressing Christians,  that we all stumble in many ways and none of us is without fault when it comes to what we say.  One reasons we all sin in this way is because it is so easy to do.  There is an old saying that goes, “The tongue is a wet place…be careful lest it slips.

There is a story about a minister who was making a wooden trellis to support his climbing vine.  As he was pounding away, he noticed that a little boy was watching him.  The youngster didn’t say a word, so the preacher kept on working, thinking the boy would leave.  But he didn’t.  Pleased at the thought that his work was being admired, the pastor finally said, “Well son, trying to pick up some pointers on gardening?”  “No,” he replied, “I’m just waiting to hear what a preacher says when he hits his thumb with a hammer.”

James seems to be directing his comments to those who would be teachers — important as teachers are to the development of us all.  But let us be clear, we are all teachers.  Our beliefs are always on display.  The question is, do our words serve us?  Do our words reflect the spirit we want to reflect to others?

With all of the emphasis today on communication, the truth is that most of us have had very little training on how to use language effectively.  We were taught how to talk, but not much about the effect our words can have on others.

Occasionally people send me stories over the internet.  Many of them come from the classic series, Chicken Soup for the Soul.  Frequently the stories describe the positive impact that words have on people.  For example, teachers who wrote thoughtful, encouraging notes to their students found that years later many of those students were still carrying those messages in their wallets and purses.  When life was challenging, those written words became a source of strength.

Just think of the implications of that.  If all of us can have such creative, regenerative power over each other, why not use it?  Jesus never stopped using words.  Paul never stopped using words.  In fact, both Jesus and Paul would have given humanity very little had it not been for their words.  Their words represented a window allowing us to view the infinite number of possibilities God has for each of us.

A number of years ago, Tony Robbins wrote a book entitled, Awakening the Giant Within.   In that book there is a chapter on words.  And his message has influenced thousands if not millions of readers.  He encouraged people to watch very carefully what words they selected while communicating.

For example he asked his readers to substitute the word “dislike” for “hate.”  He invited people to stop using words like “problems” and “impossible” and substitute words like “challenges” and “opportunities.”  He wrote that our words should always be connected intentionally to the values we want to make visible.  (Our beliefs are always on display.)  Making use of better words, molds us, and it also dramatically influences the people around us.

You may be familiar with the phrase, “When a glass is shaken, what spills are the contents.”  While that sounds obvious, the same is true for each of our lives.  When our words are negative, critical and divisive- they communicate the values that are driving our behavior and decision making.  Likewise, when our words are insightful, enthusiastically spoken, and point to the creative values we embrace, they inspire.  The words we use are like a window that allows others to see what is inside of the rest of our house.  Jesus is recorded in Luke 6:45, as saying, “The good person out of the good treasure of the heart produces good, and the evil person, out of the evil treasure produces evil; for it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.”

James concluded his section on the power of words with this thought, “Words of thanksgiving and cursing pour out from the same mouth.  My friends, this should not happen!  No spring of water pours out sweet water and bitter water from the same opening.”

I believe  he is right when he compares our words to poison, when we use them to slander, or gossip about someone else.  Why is it we find it so easy to believe bad things? Our words can be very destructive.  They can lower morale and destroy the character of innocent people.  Cynical words can promote doubt and disbelief. (remember we are all teachers).  Negative words can promote depressive moods.  Relationships can be poisoned by  a cruel word slipped into a conversations.  Proverbs 18:21 is very accurate when it says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”  And no wonder David prayed in Psalm 141:3, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over my lips.”

One of my favorite quotations comes from John Wesley, the founder of Methodism.  He said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can.”  Wesley’s words reveal a single mission statement for life.  That mission is this:  In spite of our circumstances, Jesus invited us to make the Kingdom of God visible.  That is our task.  That is why we are here.

When we arise each morning with the understanding that our words are gifts to others, that concept will help us think about which ones we want to use.  Are they helpful?  Are they healing to hear?  Are they insightful?  Will they encourage?  Will they build up?  Are they carrying the message of hope and reconciliation that Jesus invited us to share with others?  Will they make the world a better place?

We can always justify our criticisms, our judgmental finger pointing, and why we should reveal the truth about someone else’s flawed character (which is a nice way of saying gossiping). But has the world ever been short on its number of critics?  Have we ever experienced a shortage of people who whine, complain, and write letters every time the world is not quite what they want it to be?  The answer is obvious.  We have plenty of such people in every generation.  Actually every society needs a certain amount of critics and prophets who warn the rest of us where our misguided values are taking us.

But our world also needs to experience more of what heals and binds together, more of what encourages us to celebrate, more of what inspires us toward a greater commitment to our faith, and more of what enables us to rediscover the hope that may have grown dim.

We need to remember that it is a much easier task to tell someone where they are wrong than it is to put them in possession of the truth.  Pointing the finger of blame, requires no skill.  Any unhappy person can do that.  Producing hope in others — that requires a lot of skill.

Most of us memorized John 3:16 when we were young.  “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have ever lasting life.”  It is the next verse that describes Jesus’ purpose for coming here.  John 3:17 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the through him the world might be saved." If that was Jesus’ purpose for coming, then it must be ours as well.  The words we use can make that purpose visible.