The Power of Words

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)

Talking. Talking is something that we do from the earliest stages of our lives. Babies begin to “babble” and mimic what you are saying. Words such as “Da Da,” “Ma Ma”, “NO”, and “Ball” are formed. And as a parent sometimes you fear that you may catch your child repeating a word or a phrase that we did not intend for them to hear. We all have probably done it at some point, caught a child emulating that very behavior and then spend time explaining that it was a poor choice of words and hoping and praying that they forget such phrases quickly. But unfortunately with words, we cannot take them back. There is no rewind button or white out. We cannot gather them in again, once they leave the tips of our tongue they are gone forever and with the development of social media, the internet, and cell phones some of our finest words and not so finest words are available at a moment’s notice. They do not go away easily (or ever). 

As children we are taught the nursery rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words may never hurt me.” Yes, parents have told us that to help us and console us, but the reality is that words do hurt. Words can be very destructive. In the third chapter of the epistle of James, we see some examples and images of the importance of words. Words have power to heal and destroy. Some of us still may hurt from comments made about us years ago in school, or made about our bodies, or made about our children, our parenting, or our lifestyle choices. Hopefully we also take to heart the encouraging and positive words we have heard as well. 

We must be keenly aware of our tongues in our lives as Christians. Gossip. Slander. Rumor. Lies. Insults. All of these things that not only destroy individuals, but they can tear apart families and churches.  The letter to the church at Ephesus reminds us of the importance of positive words and actions. We can use this as a litmus test for whether it should be said. Is it wholesome? Is it helpful? Does it build up? Does it benefit? Alan Redgrave also offers these suggestions with the acronym “T-H-I-N-K.  Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary, is it kind?”[1] When we use these lenses and these thought processes we can certainly protect those we love and ourselves from unnecessary pain and harm as well as exalting Christ through our behavior.

 Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Photo Credit: marczini

http://www.freeimages.com/photo/1382970

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[1] Redpath, Alan. Taken from A Passion for Preaching.  Found online at http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/g/gossip.htmAccessed 8 July 2015. 

(Is it) Time for Change?

One of the hotbed words in today’s culture is often change, and our lives live on change. Change brings emotions; for me change can bring out fear, while for others it may bring out excitement. People change jobs, change homes, change cars, change clothing styles and hair color. Political candidates often run on platforms of change, saying that they are going to change from their predecessors. Other times change comes through major decisions, on June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court of the United States, changed the landscape of marriage for a generation. With this change, some will respond with fear, others excitement. I know that I am “late” in getting into the conversation, and I am sure that I am probably not re-inventing the wheel. More than likely, someone else has said what I am going to say in a more eloquent way. I ask nonetheless, that perhaps you give me the privilege of sharing one thought

Aside from John 3:16, one of widely recognized verses in the Bible comes from Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, which says, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” A scripture opens and cuts us! Why? We all will find ourselves in the same predicament. It is a reminder of who we are. If you were to replace the “for all have” with “Mike Holleman has” sinned, or insert your own name into the scripture it reminds us of our sin and failure. I am broken. I am guilty. I am a mess-up. I am depraved. I am deserving of death. We really, could replace any name or group of people in that picture, “Republicans have sinned…” “Democrats have sinned…” “The Church has sinned…” The painful truth is that we all are in the same predicament. Whether we want to recognize it or not, God is present. He sees us. He sees us in all of our “glory.”

All of us have sinned, are sinning and will sin in the future. Despite our best efforts to combat or curb sin, the fact is that we cannot and will not eliminate sin from our lives. Thankfully, this is not the end of the story, for God made a way for us.  Romans 5:6-8 expresses it well, “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

This scripture brings hope. It means that sinners can saved by grace through faith. Christ died for the sinners. Does the Bible designate that only a few sins can be forgiven? NO! It says that sinners can be saved. It does not say that X sin will not be forgiven, or Y sin will not be forgiven. The only sin not forgiven is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit (which is another discussion for a different time). We need to be preaching the gospel. We need to be preaching the transforming power of Christ.  

Up to this point, nothing there should shock anyone, right?  That is the story that has been the story for 2000 years. In that respect, nothing has changed. The world is populated with sinners and Jesus made a way. As Canadian pastor Carey Nieuhoff said, “The church as always been counter-cultural…and continues later saying…Being counter-cultural usually helps the church more than it hurts it.” Here is where the change needs to take place. God can and does work in the midst of every situation, whether we see it as good or bad.

Perhaps, we need to stop living too much into the culture, but attempt to be the Church. As Christians, we need to take a strong stand against ALL sins. We cannot (and should not) demonize some sins and whilst overlooking others. All lies are sin. All gossip is sin. All racism is sin. All theft is sin. All forms of sexual immorality are sin. As Christians, we cannot and should not be hypocritical picking out specific sins while neglecting the whole. We do it not in a spirit of judgment and condemnation, but in a spirit of love. We dialogue. We share. We show compassion. We help. We love. Moreover, we should do our best to proclaim that in love. We come not from a place where we are perfect, rather one where we have experienced grace and thus should extend grace as well. You have probably heard the quotation “The Church is a hospital not a museum of saints.” If the church were full of “perfect” people, no one would be there except Christ.

So in effect needs to change? I might argue is our Church. We still have the same Christ, who still offers the same love, the same grace, the same, mercy and the same forgiveness. The only necessary change is the one that we need to make in our hearts. Are we going to respond with fear or a renewed vigor for the church to stand against all sin, and to love our neighbors?

What do you think?

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.