Talking- it's something we do every day, to a greater or lesser extent depending upon your job and circumstance. Now, this is especially fascinating to me because of my current field of study... the way people use words. However, time and time again I am amazed at the way we Christians can carefully leave God and all things related to our faith out of this talk. Isn't it natural that we would talk about what is most important to us, what is closest to our hearts? Yet, I suppose if I would do a study, less than 5% of all the words we utter each day (besides Sunday perhaps... or maybe even on Sunday!) would mention our faith.
As Brad and his family say at the end of their prayers, "May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable unto You, O God." As we reflect on this theme this morning, let's consider whether the words of our mouth each day truly reflect our heart.
Words of Encouragement
26 But because of you the LORD was angry with me and would not listen to me. "That is enough," the LORD said. "Do not speak to me anymore about this matter. 27 Go up to the top of Pisgah and look west and north and south and east. Look at the land with your own eyes, since you are not going to cross this Jordan. 28 But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." 29 So we stayed in the valley near Beth Peor.- Deuteronomy 3:26-29
The Bible gives us clear direction in ways to use our words, and one of those ways is through encouragement and strengthening of our brothers and sisters in the faith. It would seem self-explanatory, but so often we get caught up in so many things, and we forget just how much a word of encouragement can do for someone. It can change someone's day. It can change someone's life!
At Providence COB, I remember we used to have little 'encouragement cards.' Their name at the time evades me. But I would love this innovation, filling out numbers of cards to thank Jane for reminding us of the birds in the joys/concerns. I'd thank Jeanne for the delicious eclaire squares on Thursday night. I'd praise Peggy for her awesome choir directing and Ken for his outstanding sermon. Encouraging one another is important, and it was quite easy to do since we were all welcome to take a part in the church. Here God explicitly tells Moses to encourage and strengthen Joshua. This would seem as self-evident as encouraging members of the church, but we often forget. So maybe it is time that we remind each other the value of using our words for encouragement.
One more short story. Yesterday I was encouraged in so many ways by the church. Pastor decided to formally welcome me to the church, and the church elected me as an economo (to help with the collection of and prayer for offerings). I already mentioned Pastor's encouragement of my direction in ministry, and this was one more visible sign of encouragement. Since encouragement is a part of love, it follow that we must encourage one another, for encouragement comes from God.
Words of Guidance
4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. [b] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. -Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Whenever Brad meets another acquaintance/friend of mine, he's surprised. How do they know all about me? How have they heard about me? Perhaps guys and girls deal with this differently. I suppose I'm not a very private person, so that might make part of the difference. But when you love someone, you talk about them. And I love Brad. Anyone that is such a great part of my life plays a huge part in my conversations. I talk about discussions that we've had, things that he's reminded me of, things that we've done.
Well, more than anything/anyone, we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and strength. So, it naturally follows that we would talk about this great love of our lives at home, on a flight, in the office, in a class, waking up, on a bike ride, lying down at night. Our hands, our foreheads, our homes should all remind us of our God who is one and our all-consuming love for Him.
This becomes all the more meaningful when we remember that in these times of the Bible, to "read" the Bible was to recite and read out loud. Solitary silent reading didn't become customary until much later, so 'talking' about God was an essential act that made the word living, audible and pronounceable. In this way, the very act of saying the words helps us to keep God's commandments as a guiding light for our life.
Words of Correction
12The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. 13Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. 14Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it.
15On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, 16and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. 17And as he taught them, he said, "Is it not written:
" 'My house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations'[c]? But you have made it 'a den of robbers.'[d]"
18The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching.-Mark 11:12-18
Finally, this is the most difficult kind of words we see in the Bible, words of correction or rebuke. And isn't it true for parents as well? Uncle Rod and Brad and I were just talking about the difficulties of discipline in our counselling session the other day. It must be terribly difficult to discipline your child, because you love that child. But that discipline, like Jesus' discipline here, comes out of love.
He didn't overturn the tables to spoil the fun. He wanted His brothers and sisters and children to keep the temple as a house of prayer for all nations, a special gift from God. And his rebuke of the fig tree is also often cited as a reminder to his disciples that they are to 'bear fruit' and not become useless like the barren tree.
God's provision of a holy place for prayer is a loving provision. God's willingness to use of for His purpose is a loving plan. In order to guard these loving gestures, Jesus must use His words to correct the ways that are interrupting God's ways.
Today may our words be acceptable to You, a reflection of You in our lives- encouraging to one another, guiding our day, and correcting ourselves and others when necessary.
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