The Power of our Words
James 3:7-12 (NIV) 7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
Years ago I was a Vice President at an insurance company. In my bookshelves I had my Bible and next to it were books from an insurance course offered by the Life Office Management Association. The first course was “Principles of Life Insurance.” So, I always told people that while I successfully completed all of the courses and received the designation of FLMI, a Fellow of the Life Management Institute, to me my most important designation was being a disciple of Jesus Christ and following the principles of life found in the Bible.
When I think of discipleship and the qualities one needs as a disciple, I always think of James who breaks down so succinctly the behavior required of a Christ follower. My question today is how can we justify praising God in one breath and tearing down our fellow man in the next. I think part of the problem is that we do not recognize the power of our words.
As a child I was impacted by not just the words found in the Bible or those learned in Sunday School, but I loved poetry. My aunt bought us a volume of “Great American Poetry” and I poured over it for hours at a time. I am sharing with you today one of the poems that went straight to my heart.
Drop a pebble in the water: just a splash, and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Spreading, spreading from the center, flowing on out to the sea.
And there is no way of telling where the end is going to be.
Drop a pebble in the water: in a minute you forget,
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And those little waves a-flowing to a great big wave have grown;
You’ve disturbed a mighty river just by dropping in a stone.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.
They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you’ve started them to flow.
Drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there’s little waves a-flowing, and there’s ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you’ve stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there’s half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn’t believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.
Drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there’s gladness still a-swelling, and there’s joy acircling yet,
And you’ve rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.
– written by James W. Foley
May we think before we speak, and may we bless others and be a blessing to others.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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