Words, words, words.

James 3:1-12

Context
James continues his straightforward ethical teaching.

Listening to the writer
Questions to guide your listening:
Verse 1 almost seems out of place, dropped into the segment between "faith without works is dead" and "the tongue." Why does James put it here?
The metaphors of the bit and rudder imply that we can control our bodies with our tongue, as a bit controls a horse or a rudder a ship. Is this your experience? What kind of "body" is he talking about? What body can be controlled by words?
Can genuine blessing and genuine cursing come from the same person? Jesus uses similar metaphors (Luke 6:43-45).

Listening to God
Recall, with God, a time when someone’s words set a painful fire raging within you. Seek healing or the ability to forgive if needed.

Now spend time asking if your words have set a fire burning in someone else. Do you need to apologize and seek forgiveness?

We have great powers of hypocrisy. Trees produce only one kind of fruit. Springs pour forth only fresh water, not salt. Yet we are able to produce both blessing and cursing from one mouth. Do your words about people show respect for their creator?

Is there language you use when you feel alone that you would be embarrassed to speak before Jesus in the flesh?

Changing any habits requires clear goals, a plan, and someone to hold you accountable to that plan. If you’ve discovered something in your speech that needs to change (eliminating some words; ceasing gossip; learning to speak positively about people), then write down:
What do I want to change?
How will I change it?
Who will I share my plan with? How often will they check up on me?

Miscellaneous Meanderings
I sometimes forget the incredible power words can have.
On campus, words are bandied about freely, and often competitively. It feels like we need to bring out the big guns - to speak quickly, loudly, and often! - in order to be heard. In such a context, it is easy for words to cause a lot of collateral damage.
Often in the church, it's the opposite. People are so afraid of hurting anyone, and so intent on being "nice", that very little ever gets said. In that context, a joke can get taken so seriously that people are deeply wounded for a long time. Pastors (self included) can become so afraid of using powerful words that their preaching becomes insipid.
We're watching "Good Night, and Good Luck" tonight at Wesley. Edward R. Murrow used words carefully and thoughtfully to expose a true menace in society. Senator McCarthy used words like Molotov Cocktails, quickly throwing together whatever he had to inflict damage at anyone within reach.
Perhaps it's just nostalgia - and I wasn't even alive when Murrow did his work - but I long for the days when the news was careful with its words. McCarthy would be an excellent pundit these days. Words like "liberal" and "conservative" are thrown about as insults, rather than descriptions of a person's worldview. But, since I can't do much to influence the news shows, I suppose I should start with... myself.

On a happier note, 27 years ago today I said the magic words "I do." Kendall said them too. And we still do. Powerful words.

Dig Deeper at Textweek.