"Words Matter" - James 3:1 - 12
A Sermon by Alex W. Evans, Pastor
Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA
James 3:1-12 - “Words Matter”
Sunday, September 12, 2021
The words we write or speak to others can leave a huge impact and create a lasting memory - either good or bad. So, it's super important what words we choose. Words can make or break a relationship. Words can accelerate or kill your career. As we have seen across the nation - words can create peace or chaos. Words can heal . . . or harm.
Here are a few helpful quotes - about the power of words:
o "Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that don't mean much to you, may stick with someone else for a lifetime." (Rachel Wolchin)
o "Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten." (Unknown)
o "Words are free. It's how you use them that may cost you."
o "Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder." (Rumi)
o "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." (Mother Teresa)
o "Speech has power. Words do not fade. What starts out as a sound, ends in a deed." (Abraham Joshua Herschel)
Throughout the Bible, we are reminded about the power and influence of words. One of those places is the letter of James.
A couple of weeks ago, I shared some comments to help us know more about the letter of James. James comes near the very end of the New Testament, a short letter from what seems to be a pastor - named James - writing to his congregation. His pastoral comments do not talk much about the grace of God, but more about how we are called to live with grace as God’s people. He does not mention Jesus very often, but he calls his people to live in the ways of Jesus, with the heart of Jesus. You may recall James’ more familiar words from two weeks ago - “be doers of the Word, not just hearers.” James keeps pressing about how we live, what we say and do as God’s people. Today’s passage focuses on the power of words - what comes from our mouths, our tongues. Listen to these verses from James, 3:
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.2For 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. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4Or 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. 5So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! 6And 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. 7For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Pastor James, in the early church, writing to his congregation, knows the might and danger of words! Words can make or break a relationship. Words can convey love or hate, good or evil. Words can heal or harm.
Pastor James also seems to know his Bible. This is what Proverbs 21:23 says: "Those who guard their mouths and their tongues guard themselves from trouble." This is from Psalm 34:13: "Then you must keep your tongue from evil and keep your lips from speaking lies!"
James also seems to know Jesus, and Jesus’ words: in Matthew, Jesus says “it's not what goes into our mouths that defiles us, but the words that come out of them.” (see Matt. 15:11)
This message makes me recall the wonderful quote attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, who said this about following Jesus: “go and preach the gospel; if necessary, use words.” Words can be so helpful, and so dangerous; words can build up, or tear down. We have to be careful . . . with our words.
James, the letter, teaches us with vividness and flair, with references to a bridle in a horse’s mouth, a rudder on a ship, the power of a small fire to create great damage (and how we know about that lately!). James even says “no one can tame the tongue - a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” So, especially in these unusual and chaotic times: we must all work on our speech. We can all pay closer attention to our words, which have great power. Our words can be destructive and divisive; they can bring wholeness and healing. The choice is ours.
David Brooks, from the NY Times, wrote an article a few years ago, entitled, “What Our Words Tell Us.” With everything becoming digital, it is possible to study the use of words, and the frequency of certain words used across the decades. Brooks unpacked this extensive study and noted two main points:
First, in the last 50 years, words and phrases like “personal,” “self,” “individual,” “I come first,” “I can do it myself,” all increased dramatically in usage. Conversely, communal words and phrases like “community,” “collective,” “tribe,” “share,” “united,” “together,” and “common good,” were all on the decline in usage.
Second, the word-search studies also showed a decline in general moral terms like “virtue” or “decency” or “conscience.” Words associated with moral excellence, like “honesty,” “patience” and “compassion” were used much less frequently. Brooks noted that usage of courage words like “bravery” and “fortitude” fell significantly in the last 50 years. Usage of gratitude words like “thankfulness” and “appreciation” dropped off also. Usage of humility words like “modesty” and “humbleness” dropped by 52 percent. Usage of compassion words like “kindness” and “helpfulness” dropped by 56 percent.
This is the conclusion from David Brooks: “Over the past half-century, society has become more individualistic. As it has become more individualistic, it has also become less morally aware, because social and moral fabrics are inextricably linked. The atomization and demoralization of society have led to certain forms of social breakdown.” This shifting use of words reflects a shift in the culture. With less words about community bonds, and compassion, conviction, and care, we have increasing problems and divisions among us. (NYTimes, May 20, 2013)
Way back in the later part of the 1st century, when the church of Jesus was just figuring out how to be the church, James had some vivid insights about the power and problem of words. The tongue is a small member, but it boasts great exploits. Tongues - our words - need taming and discipline. I love how vividly James warns us:
9With (the tongue),we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. . . . My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.
Can’t you just feel his heart urging us to be better, to be cautious with our words? Can you sense his pastoral concern here? We cannot just say certain things - our words reflect the depth of our souls, or lack of depth. Are we God’s people in what we say and do? What we say and what we do matter very much to Jesus. James is calling forth the very best from us - words and deeds. Then he goes on with more images:
11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
What inspires you to be your best self? Is it someone fussing at you, convicting you for the shortcomings and laying guilt and shame on you? Some people try to motivate others in that way.
Or, do you become your best self because someone shows you a better way, a more excellent way?
In Jesus’ teachings, he tried lots of ways to motivate his disciples toward their best life as God’s people. He told some, especially in the gospel of Matthew, that if they did not repent and do better, they would burn in a lake of fire, suffer eternal pain and banishment. In other places, Jesus coaxed and compelled his disciples to a better way:
· He told a rich man that his addiction to money was preventing him from entering the kingdom.
· He told one of his closest friends that he wasn't as loyal as he thought he was going to be.
· He told an angry crowd that their anger against a sinful woman should have been channeled against their own sins.
Jesus also at times just laid it out there - “it is not what goes in your mouth but what comes out that defiles you.” “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” “Love God and love your neighbor - these are the greatest commands of God.
I think James, the pastor, James the letter, tries to encourage us in something super important - the might and danger of words. Watch what we say. The tongue is small but very powerful. There are no shortcuts to a great and faithful life. James pleads with us - pay attention to words. Let your words be filled with kindness, justice, and peace. Our lives should not pour out anything but fresh and life-giving water. And that takes intentionality and work. Our lives should bear good fruit - with special attention to our words.
This week, in Richmond, we have been reminded afresh about the might and danger of words . . . and symbols. The taking down of the R. E. Lee Monument is another step to wash away the brackish waters in which we have been living for so many years. And we have to keep tending to our words and symbols. The massive Lee Monument embodied certain words - a certain narrative - and most of us missed this message for so long. That monument said that white supremacy was a noble cause, that some people matter more than others, that southern and slave culture is more important than the Constitution, that the Lost Cause is bigger than liberty and justice for all. For far too long, many of us looked at the beauty of the monument and were blind to the messages of that monument.
James pleads with us to pay attention to the words - the messages - of your life. James, following Jesus, calls us to stand for the hard right against the easy wrongs. James calls us to be careful what we say - only blessings should come from our mouths, only things that build up and serve God, not serve the self. James urges us to focus only on words and actions that give, not get, only on things that move the world toward the justice and joy of God.
Words matter. May our words always embody the ways of Jesus. AMEN
Prayer of Commitment: O Lord, pour out your Spirit upon us. We seek faithful life - in words and deeds - following Jesus Christ our Lord. AMEN
Alex Evans, Pastor, Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, VA preached this sermon during Sunday morning worship on Sunday, September 12, 2021. This is a rough manuscript.