Act of Worship at Home
Reading James 3: 1-12
Taming the Tongue
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. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or 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. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits.
How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And 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. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
Reflection
James doesn’t pull any punches with the words he writes in his letter.
The most important guidance underlying how we are to use our words came from the lips of Jesus when he said; ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
Being around someone who expresses genuine love for others… is infectious, it’s great. When our lives reflect that behaviour, some amazing things happen – people see that our faith is real, that we take the words of Jesus seriously. They see that our faith is not some religion practiced only once a week, but it is something we are living out seven days a week. Allowing love to flow from our lips and through our actions helps others see and hear God. And when people see that and hear that it is something they want to be a part of.
So when we think of speech and language as a gift from God, it becomes awful to hear it used to abuse other people. But what is perhaps just as bad, is when we use words more subtly to gossip and denigrate other people. James, head of the Church in Jerusalem, was so concerned about the effect of gossip and whispering that he wrote about it in his letter, warning his readers of the power of the tongue. He says, “no one can tame the tongue— a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father,
and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.”
Not a lot has changed since James’ day. The tongue is still a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we still bless the Lord and Father while cursing those bearing his image. We might not swear at them or curse them, but little drips of gossip spread little slivers of poison that can damage just as much as any curse. The problem is, as James noted, that it’s very difficult to bridle our tongues. They can so easily run away with us without any evil intentions on our part. As someone put it, instead of demonstrating a love of the other person it shows a love for our own need to be on the inside of the group spreading the gossip.
Like children in a playground.
But then again, perhaps it is children who can show us the answer. There was a minister, asked to give a children’s address at a church he was visiting, who chose the verse from Ephesians 4:29: “Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you”. He asked the children, “How can we make our words good for others?” They answered, “Say nice things, give compliments. Be cheerful. Tell the truth.” Then one little girl piped up, “Our words should be like little silver boxes with bows on top.” May that always be the case. In the name of Christ. Amen.
Time of Prayer
Thank you, almighty God, for those whose words have made us feel loved and accepted.
Thank you for those whose words have encouraged and inspired us and thank you for those whose words have challenged and redirected us. In quietness we remember particular names and faces …
Lord, hear our prayer, and listen to the words we cannot speak.
We offer you the hurts we carry through words carelessly thrown our way, the deliberate and the accidental. Where the wounds run deep, may your healing Spirit soothe and caress until the scars are healed. And where we have caused the hurt grant us the grace to make amends and to seek forgiveness.
Lord, hear our prayer, and listen to the words we cannot speak.
We pray for the world in which we live, where words so often come cheap.
We say we care for the poor, for the hungry, for those who are different, for the world itself.
May these not be empty words, but words that lead to action.
Lord, hear our prayer, and listen to the words we cannot always speak.
In quietness and in our own words, we pray for those most on our mind … (silence)
Come close, Lord God, to those who most need to feel you near.
Lord, hear our prayer, and listen to the words we cannot always speak.
We thank you for your gift of creation: for all that stirs us and amazes us; for all that stuns and silences us; for the beauty and fragility and the rugged robustness of the natural world.
May we enjoy it more and more and take care of it as we ought.
Lord, hear our prayer, and listen to the words we cannot always speak.
Thank you, creator and word-of-life God, for all you are, for all you have said and done, and for all you have yet to reveal through us, and with us, and despite us.
These prayers we offer in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Hymn
Your words to me are life and health;
they fortify my soul;
enable, guide, and teach my heart
to reach its perfect goal.
Your words to me are light and truth;
from day to day they show
their wisdom, passing earthly lore,
as in their truth I grow.
Your words to me are full of joy,
of beauty, peace, and grace;
from them I learn your blessed will,
through them I see your face.
Your words are perfected in One,
yourself, the living Word;
within my heart your image print
in clearest lines, O Lord.
Blessing
Let us go from here to love and serve the Lord.
And the blessing of God almighty,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be with us all,
this day and forever more.
Amen.
