Words

By

Reverend Litton Logan

September 17, 2006

Scriptures:

²⁶ If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. James 1:26 (NRSV)

¹ Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ² For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. ³ If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. ⁴ Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. ⁵ So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.

How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire!  ⁶ And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. ⁷ For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, ⁸ but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. ⁹ With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. ¹⁰ From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. ¹¹ Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? ¹² Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh. James 3:--18 (NRSV)

Two Kinds of Wisdom

¹³ Who is wise and understanding among you? Show by your good life that your works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you have bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not be boastful and false to the truth. ¹⁵ Such wisdom does not come down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. ¹⁶ For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind. ¹⁷ But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. ¹⁸ And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace for those who make peace.

Introduction and Comments:

          One of the difficulties we have with words is different definitions within different context.  Let me give you an example of what I MEAN.

The aspiring psychiatrists were attending their first class on emotional extremes. "Just to establish some parameters," said the professor to the student from Arkansas, "What is the opposite of joy?"

"Sadness," said the student.

And the opposite of depression?" he asked of the young lady from Oklahoma.

"Elation," said she.

"And you sir," he said to the young man from Texas, "how about the opposite of woe?"

The Texan replied, "Sir, I believe that would be giddy-up."

          Words are peculiar things aren’t they?

Sermon:

          As one reads the book of James or in its original “Jacob”, it becomes apparent that this little book is not like any other book in the New Testament.  The author of the James was a well-educated, Hellenistic Christian with a Hebraic religious background.  In addition, it appears that he took existing Jewish moral teachings and Stoic-Cynic ethical teachings “Christianized” them and added his own moral and ethical insights to form our current book of James. 

          In the maelstrom of Jewish and Christian religious currents and conflicts of the author’s day, there would have been much confusion over the sources of authority for Christian morality and ethics as well as religious practices. 

The misunderstandings of the radical freedom in Christ frequently gave license to immorality, especially in the cauldrons where Gnosticism and Paganism mixed with certain aspects of the Christian gospel.  The highly structured Jewish moral laws and their interpretations as well as Jewish ceremonial laws frequently posed a stultifying legalism that violated Christian freedom.

In addition, within those communities where Hellenistic or Palestinian Jewish Christians related to Gentile Christians there was a hierarchy.  The Jewish Christians of either ilk saw themselves as possessing a higher or more complete form of Christianity. (Interpreter’s Bible, Book of James, Introduction, Burton Scott Easton)

          Thus, we find the little book of James addressing the issues of moral and ethical instructions for all Christians.  In a Christian’s freedom, he or she does not have the license for irresponsible, unethical, or immoral behavior.  As the Apostle Paul would maintain, Jesus fulfilled the salvific or saving aspect of the Mosaic Law but the moral demands of the law remain intact as one tries to live in the spirit of God’s Holiness.  Therefore, for James the moral precepts and teachings of the Mosaic Law are binding on Christians.  We are referring here primarily, although not exclusively, to the Ten Commandments.

Burton Scott Easton in his Introduction to the Book of James in the Interpreter’s Bible gives us this insight.

Luther was perfectly correct when, recognizing the barrenness of "theological" content in James, he pronounced it "an epistle of straw." But Luther was also perfectly correct when he wrote: "I praise this epistle of James and consider it to be good, because it teaches no human doctrine at all and sternly declares the law of God." No one has better summarized what James attempts to do--and what it does not attempt to do.

In chapter 1:26, the author gives us a peek at his thinking on the harmful potential of the tongue and words in matters of religion:

²⁶ If any think they are religious, and do not bridle their tongues but deceive their hearts, their religion is worthless. (NRSV)

Eugene Peterson in The Message New Testament expands this a bit, as he combines verses 26-27 in chapter 1:

Anyone who sets himself up as “religious” by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air. Real religion, the kind that passes muster before God the Father, is this: Reach out to the homeless and loveless in their plight, and guard against corruption from the godless world. James 1:26-27 (TMNT)

The author of James goes on to develop his religious thinking about a very specialized misuse of the tongue in the opening versus of chapter 3.  The author addresses those who call themselves Christian teachers.   We can infer from this that he includes preachers and evangelist, who do not have the qualification or the spiritual inclination for that office. 

For the author, the tongue is symbolic of the entire mind-body-verbalization process that reveals human intentions for good or ill. James tells us we can tame the wild beast and bend them to our will; we can harness the powers of the nature; but we seem to have extreme difficulty in taming our tongues. James will later say this is especially true in relationship to our anger, egotism, and selfish-ambition.  An unbridled tongue is like a small fire, which can become the source that burns huge forest.  Having gone through the Cerro Grande Fire in 2000 this passage has a new dimension for me

The unbridled tongue can reveal a person’s character and incite unholy behaviors, as we all know.

The author of James goes on to express in a series of opposing images his dismay that from the same mouth that Christians  bless and praise God comes the curses--the vehement and damning castigations--of others who are made in God’s very image. Evidently, James is alluding to some dispute among Christians where there is much rancor. He tells us brothers and sisters in Christ this is not right.

          When I finally got serious about my call to ministry and its academic requirements, some thirty-five years ago, I entered a very special time in my life.  At times, ministry is wonderful and at other times, it is terrifying. As the writer of Ecclesiastes says,

¹⁸ For in much wisdom is much vexation, and those who increase knowledge increase sorrow. Ecclesiastes 1:18 (NRSV)

Over the years, in my studies I have come to really, really appreciate the power of the spoken and written word.  Words, Oh my, what power they have. “Stick and stones may break my bones but words will never harm me,” is just a childish taunt.  Truth is, words can harm us, words can destroy us, and words can destroy this world. Words are the oral expressions of the evil or the good that resides in the human heart.

Think about how the spoken word has affected your life.  Think about the things that people have said that have blessed you and injured you.  Recall the things your Sunday school teachers and preachers said to you and how their words brought you hope, encouragement, affirmation, relief, comfort, anxiety, feelings of guilt, or confusion.  Think about how their words have shaped your worldviews, your moral and ethical references, and your views on other people.

          I recall from my youth some of the self-styled “Proclaimers-of-God’s-Word”, whose sole qualifications was a loud mouth, their own 16 pound, red-letter edition of the King James translation of the bible, and a so-called “calling” that would not hold itself accountable to anything or anyone but their own egos and selfish ambition.  I shudder when I think of the mental and spiritual horrors these people have reeked in the souls of the young, like me, and the ignorant across the world.

          I also recall the words of several ministers, who during some of the darkest moments of my life brought me truth from scriptures and acceptance as a person of worth that let me see God’s grace and love like never before in my life.

          I have listened to a lot of sermons in my lifetime as well as many theological and religious lectures and speeches.  Moreover, like the author of James, I am amazed at the ignorance, self-serving anger, and the selfish-ambition that frequently masquerades as biblical and spiritual truth coming from the mouths of some preachers, evangelist, teachers, and lay leadership.  I would include many of our TV evangelist and so-called religious opinion leaders of today who have said some hurtful and erroneous things in this group also.

          Some more folks that come to my mind at this moment are several fundamentalist preachers in Mississippi during the Civil Rights movements, who were members of the Klu Klux Klan. 

          I want to share with you that every time I come to a pulpit, I am terrified.  Why? 

I am terrified because someone might be awake and paying attention.  Somehow, my words may resonate with something in a person’s life causing them to tilt a truth or have an insight in such a way as to internalize my words and shape their lives accordingly.  On one hand that is one of the most humbling and wonderful things of my life; conversely, it is a responsibility that buckles my spiritual knees every week and holds my soul in terror. 

This is why it is so important for teachers, preachers, and evangelist to do good research, to spend time in prayer, meditation and self-reflection as they struggle to write and say what they think and believe needs to be said. The seriousness of words, especially, Christian words, is why I advocate on every turn that Christians devotedly studying, researching, and improving their own grasp of scriptures and religious ideas. 

Philip Murray Condit, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Boeing company from 1996 to 2003, once made a statement that I have come to live by—“No one of us is as smart as all of us.”

I belive with my whole being that God’s Holy Spirit will speak out of the experiences, knowledge, and spiritual aspects of the least and the greatest of us to make known what is right and good and what is of God.  Any minister, professional teacher, professor, or lay leader or teacher, who does not believe this is just flat not spiritually qualified for the responsibility of their office and they prove the truth of James’ insights.

Jesus didn’t have a Ph.d. He was, however, extremely well versed in Old Testament scripture and rabbinic traditions.  In Mark’s Gospel, as we heard last week, even Jesus learned a deep, spiritual insight from a gentile woman.  How was this possible? I believe Jesus was possessed of a true and divine wisdom. 

          James tells us there are two kinds of wisdom. One wisdom is of God and its presence is obvious in the intellect and spirit of people who live good, moral, and wholesome lives.  Their lives are filled with the graciousness or gentleness born of true wisdom. These are people who acknowledge their moral and ethical responsbility to others.  These are people who are sensitive and gracious in their opinions of others as well as their insights to the faults of others.  These are people who are respectful and open to learning from others.  These are not people who compromise what is true and right for social or political harmony but rather are willing to change their tactics or soften their approach to address human error and sin out of respect for the divine personhood of others.

          James tells us of another kind of wisdom or knowledge that is arrogant and absorbed in its own correctness. It is a knowledge that becomes bitter, vicious, and jealous of dessenting view points and dessenters.  It is the kind of knowledge that becomes a hammer that seeks to beat others into conformance. It is a kind of knowledge that betrays ulterior motives in the so-called knowledgable. It is a self-aggrandizing knowledge that seeks selfish ambition.  It is a knowledge with no divine component, but rather is demonic and disrupts the good order and discipline of the body of Christ.

          I have seen ministers standing in pulpits actually frothing at the mouth, faces contorted in demonic poses, spewing forth spittle and hatred, vindicitiveness and power oriented rethoric in the name of Jesus Christ.  I have listen as they sought to turn people of Christ against one another through their ignorance of scripture, of life, of culture, and in particular the ignorance of their own motives. I have seen tel-evangelist using all the power of this dramatic media blatanly misrepresenting scripture for their self-serving purposes.  I hastily add that I think some of  these folks are sincere and believe what they are saying is true.  I think many of them believe the success of their ministries is of divine origin not just good marketing, good business techniques, and the unreflected upon hopefullness of their audiences in supernaturalism.  However, the tell, the unveiling of their ulterior motives comes when they launch into self-righteous, vitrolic diatribes against people who don’t believe as they do or don’t behave as they think people should behave according to their misunderstandings and misinterpretations of scripture.

          My friends, there are differences among people for sure.  But, we have far more in common than difference.  This is especially true of Christians.  In Christ our cultural, ethnic, doctrinal, or our diffences in education, gender, or socio-economic status should not be a substative aspect of our relationship to God or one another.  If such things do not matter to God, why do they matter so much to us? 

I like the way Eugene Peterson in his translation of James 3:1-18 says it:

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here’s what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It’s the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn’t wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn’t wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn’t wisdom. It’s the furthest thing from wisdom—it’s animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you’re trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others’ throats.

Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

      I think there are many Christian people, professional and lay, teaching things that are not right or scriptural nor in keeping with the Spirit of Christ.  I think some are well intended, but uneducated or unaware of how their own moral and spiritual issues are influencing their selective focus and interpretations of scriptures.  I think there are others who use religion for power and personal gain.  They are disruptive and demonic forces in the body of Christ.  This is why I believe a Christian must first submit themselves to a life-long process of study and education, prayer and self-reflections as well as validation by the body of Christ before teaching others. This is why teachers, preachers, evangelist, and leaders in God’s work should apply themselves to know scripture inside and out, know its context, know its history of interpretation over time, and know the nuances of its application. This is not to say a person cannot give testimony to their religious or spiritual experiences.  I want to encourage people to share their faith and their personal experiences of God’s grace and presences in their life, but opinions and personal experiences are not to be confused with interpretations of scriptures or Christian teachings.

Words, words, words, spoken from the unbridled, undisciplined, and uninformed tongue can hurt. Words can undermine our faith in our selves, in others.  Words can destort reality, incite riots, murder, and all sorts of mayhem.

Words, words, words, from the tongue of wisdom, love, and grace can console, encourage, affirm, bless and heal.

The tongue can be an asp or a balm of graciousness.

The only thing that can bridle the tongue is a heart of love.  When the heart is set in God’s love made known to us in Christ then and only then will the gentleness and graciousness of the tongue come forth as a means of blessing, healing, and ushering in the kingdom of God on earth. How scary. The success of God’s kingdom come on earth lies with your tongue and mine.