9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? – James 3:9-11
Perhaps we all heard this growing up, ‘if you don’t have anything nice to say, then don’t say anything at all.’ It’s a great sentiment to think that only positive speech would come out of our mouths. It is the hope that we would use language to build up rather than tear down.
Yet, as we get older it seems that we can no longer hold our tongues, and especially with the mass forms of communication we live with now we can ‘say’ things without opening our mouths at all. Hence all the negativity that is spread through social media, email, and all the various other ways we have used language to degrade others.
James speaks of the tongue as a fire that is itself set on fire by hell. It is a fire that we cannot control nor contain, it is a restless evil. These analogies are not speaking of the muscle that rests in our mouths and allows us to make intelligible noise. Instead, it is the divisiveness of human speech which could be used for good, but so often is used for evil.
Those who want to speak good, however, often keep silent, because they know that words can hurt. What we should realize however, is not that words can cause pain, but words have power. Words have the ability to cause to cause great, deep, and lasting pain. Words can topple kingdoms, and raise up armies. Words, the weapons of the mighty tongue have a great ability to do so much, and for so much good, but the words of those who want to see good happen are being muffled by those who want to use words to spread hate.
We need a louder voice. We need to take greater authority, and it has been given to us. For we are the people who stand upon the gospel. Who claim to be followers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The King, the Messiah of a new world, one that is built on forgiveness and peace.
The goodness of God is found in the One who was called the Word made Flesh, his name is Jesus, the Christ. We need to listen to his words, understand the truth of his love, and speak up against the powers of darkness, allowing the words of our hearts, written by God’s love, to share messages of peace, hope, and love for all to hear.
Grace & Peace,
Sam