One doesn't have to look too far to notice that change is a constant, if not necessary, part of life in the 21st century. To think that the 8-track player my parents owned while I was growing up has been rendered obsolete by the ability to download songs from a personal computer. To think that the encyclopedia sets found in school gather dust while history is recorded (often in real time) on the Internet for all to see and discuss. To think that the concept of using a road map and asking for directions would be replaced by personal navigation systems (complete with voice assistance) located in the car itself.
Last Christmas, I received a Bluetooth handsfree kit for my cell phone (mainly because I think driving with a phone in one hand and holding a conversation is a safety risk at best). Within a few months, I was pretty adept at using it—or so I thought. While at a friend's house for dinner, I was informed that I made a call to their house at 7:20 that morning. I denied this, noting that I was driving to work at the time. But after checking the list of called numbers, there it was—a call to their house at 7:20.
It didn't make sense.
Until they told me there was music playing in the background.
It turned out that I had called their house the night before, asking if our family needed to bring anything for the dinner. I didn't have my Bluetooth on that day in the car, but kept it my pocket instead. Somehow, I accidentally bumped it, causing the phone to redial the last number I called—in this case, my friends. I was quite embarrassed.
Since then, I have had this situation (unfortunately) occur on a number of other occasions. But I've wondered to myself, What did these people hear me say (if anything) when they answered the call? What kind of example was I unknowingly providing?
The words we use—in writing, in speaking, in typing—are extremely powerful. They have the ability to encourage and comfort. They also have the ability to wound and destroy. When added to a person's tone of voice, gestures, and/or actions, those words can become seared into a person's mind. Considering this, it follows that those who claim Jesus as Forgiver and Leader have a higher standard to uphold on a 24/7/365/life basis.
It needs to be upheld when nobody's around.
It needs to be upheld when we're among a large group of people.
How do we do such a thing? Well, it's important to know that words were never intended for evil by God. Otherwise, I'm sure Adam and Eve's relationship before they ate the fruit would have displayed an element of contentiousness. But alas, the fruit was eaten (see Genesis 3:1-7). And in that moment, words became tools used by humans for both good and evil, a trend that continues to this second. This realization is what caused James to make an incredibly astute statement about the tongue:
A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. (James 3:5-6 [The Message])
The fire alert level in life is always high, so we should do our best to put out fires with our words instead of using them as matches.
Earlier, James stated that "if you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life" (James 3:2 [The Message]). This is why it's good to be reminded of Jesus' example, since he embodied this verse to the core. Even when times were tough, when people mistreated him, when physically broken, he refused to start fires.
But reminders are just that: reminders. To put something into practice, it takes practice. So in the situations we face daily, we must constantly place our hearts on guard. The reason for this, found in the Bible, is that the words we say come from the overflow of our hearts (see Luke 6:44-45). Sometimes not saying anything says a lot. At others, a well-chosen word or words can have a powerful, even life-changing, impact.
In addition, this guarding of the heart is critical because we don't get a chance to fully retract the words we say once they leave our mouth. We also cannot control the damage they may cause if taken incorrectly, even if intended for good. We might be able to apologize if we hurt someone, but the scars can remain and even cause a person to think less of Jesus due to our affiliation with him.
We are unable to do this on our own. This is why we need God's help and assistance in the words we say and our reactions to the situations we face. We don't always get hours to plan our responses or edit them into something more suitable.
And we never know who might be listening in (even accidentally). Our words make more of a difference than any of us realize.
So, what are your words like? Are you setting forest fires or seeking to put them out? If you had a Bluetooth that had been turned on unintentionally, would your words prove to have a positive effect for the other person listening in? What will you do today?
I pray that you would listen to the creator of all words (and that you would pray for me in this as well). And as God refreshes you, may you in turn refresh others.
"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."
--James 3:8-10 (NIV)
"Jesus was killed for His words, He would not have been crucified if He had kept quiet." --Oswald Chambers
