“The dangers of the wagging tongue”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Saturday, November 5, 2022
Ecclesiasticus 51:1-12 (Forward, p. 7) RSV p. xxx
We all know that a wagging tail, especially on a large, powerful dog, can wreck a certain amount of havoc—especially if there are delicate or fragile objects anywhere within the reach of that tail. However, that is a mere nothing when compared to the havoc and destruction caused by a wagging tongue.
Sirach, the author of today’s reading knew this all too well. Five times he speaks of the turmoil and destruction brought about by our lips:
“I give thanks to thy name, for thou hast been my protector and helper and hast delivered my body from destruction and from the snare of a slanderous tongue, from lips that utter lies” (verses 1b-2a);
“Thou wast my helper, and didst deliver me, in the greatness of thy mercy and of thy name…from the depths of the belly of Hades, from an unclean tongue and lying words—the slander of an unrighteous tongue to the king” (verses 2b,3,5,6)
Slander, lies, and in the wrong places no less: that is very grievous—and destructive—and as you guess, these are tongues or lips that are unclean, unrighteous, in their origin (meaning their owners.)
The apostle James (see James 3) likewise talked a great deal of the dangers posed by a tongue that is out of control. “It takes only a spark to start a forest fire! The tongue is like a spark. It is an evil power that dirties the rest of the body and sets a person’s entire life on fire with flames that come from hell itself. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, & sea creatures, can be tamed and have been tamed. But our tongues get out of control. They are restless and evil, and always spreading deadly poison” (verses 5b-8).
We have long known, especially with gossip or malicious or hurtful words that a word once spoken, can never been taken back or erased, but now this has come true in other realms as well. Social media posts, once shared privately and seeming innocence, can be reposted and repurposed months or years after they were shared. And likewise, interviews and conversations, once specific to a very particular situation, can be edited, reformatted, and rebroadcast to say something quite different from their original meaning and intent. And so, these days it is all the more important to guard our tongues—and the written version of them—and be very careful in what we say, for we never know where they will end up, or how they might be used against us. We need to be all the more careful of the dangers of the wagging tongue, whether it be aloud or not paper, and so my prayer is this, “Lord, help me to be especially careful about what I say and how I say it.” Amen.
Forward notes: “I give you thanks, O Lord and King, and praise you, O God my Saviour. I give thanks to your name, for you have been my protector and helper and have delivered me from destruction and from the trap laid by a slanderous tongue, from lips that fabricate lies” (verses 1-2).
Oftentimes, modern readers find it difficult to connect to the Old Testament. I tend to approach it skeptically because I don’t know many people who are actively slandering me or seeking my literal destruction. But if we read these passages metaphorically, there is a spiritual enemy who lies to me—and about me and others. There’s an inward voice that I must choose to shut out and disbelieve. It’s the voice of deception and leads to our destruction.
“But there is also a voice to whom I should listen. It’s the voice of the Divine, who not only communicates difficult truths but also brings hope, courage, and peace. The voice of the Holy Spirit brings protection from the lies and hopelessness of our adversary. This is the voice we must all choose to hear.”
Moving Forward: “Which voice do you listen to? How can you elevate the Divine and quash the adversary?”