“A timely message if there ever was one”

By Rev. Michael Stonhouse

Meditation – Tuesday, November 15, 2022

James 3:1-12 (Forward, p. 17) CEV p. 1274

I can think of very few messages that need to be heard today than what the apostle James speaks on in today’s passage. It is about the power of the tongue, the power and influence of our words, whether spoken or written. He uses two sets of images to describe its incredible power and far-reaching influence.

On the positive side, he relates how tiny things, seemingly insignificant things, things like the rudder of a ship or the bit in the mouth of horse, can have incredible impacts. Why a mighty ship is steered and directly only by that single piece of metal, and so too is a horse by its rider.

But, on the negative side, James describes the tongue as being like a tiny spark that can set an entire forest ablaze. We saw that a number of years back where just a cigarette butt, one that still had a bit of life, ignited the terrible Barriere fire just outside of Kamloops, BC. And, on a more personal note—something that I actually saw firsthand--how a stray candy wrapper thrown out a car window and passing under the exhaust system of the next car in line, immediately ignited and started a grass fire in the ditch in Waterton National Park. (Fortunately, it was put out right away by those in the next car along.)

James goes even further in describing the tongue, likening it to the fires of hell, and suggesting that it sets on fire the entire human person. He suggests that while many animals have been tamed or domesticated, the tongue often runs amuck, out of control, restless, evil, poisonous and causing untold damage.

And, isn’t this something that we see all too often in our world today. We see the influence and destructive power of it manifested, both in the spoken word and in print, all through the entertainment world and all over the political world on every level. It is a sad commentary on the world of politics today that we now have agencies of national governments and political parties dedicated to the single purpose of disseminating false or damaging stories or misinformation about their opponents. And with how the social media are set up and function, this can be set up with a stroke of a keyboard and instanteously sent to a myriad of receptive or gullible listeners! Try recalling this once ‘it’s out of the bag’, or undoing or correcting it: it’s almost impossible.

And, it’s not just at these more distant levels: a casual comment over coffee at a neighbouring meeting place or a conversation at church or at a family or community gathering or simply a post on Face Book, can have untold, unimagined results. Yes, tremendous damage to the person or his or her reputation, or to the relationship or to the work being done, even as a simple spark ignites a mighty forest fire. And so, let us be especially careful in what we say, whether in printed word or speech. And let us ask God’s abundant help in so doing. Amen.

Forward notes: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 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” (verses 1-2).

“A close friend recently described the turmoil taking place at the school where he taught. The school was religious, with a very established theology and worldview. It seemed a mutual friend and educator had been accused by a parent of so challenging his son’s faith that the son eventually left their church. Knowing the accused as I do, I found the parent’s charges to be grossly simplistic and unjustified, but it did bring to mind the gravity of today’s passage.

“How many times in my life have I spoken without thought, or in jest, or insincerely, or out of a desire to appear intelligent or diplomatic, or worst of all, better than someone else? I don’t really want to know. The reality would prove difficult to accept. Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy.”

Moving Forward: “When has your speech betrayed your faith? Make amends, as needed.”