Choosing to be different, a follower of Jesus, in the way I speak

I’ll be leading worship on Wednesday, September 8, so I was looking ahead at the Bible readings assigned for that service. The Epistle lesson assigned for that day is James 3:1-12. In this reading God inspired James to write these words about how Christians are to speak about others. “8 . . . no man 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 men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.” (James 3:8-10) Obviously, the people in the congregation to which James was writing were involved in gossip and slander. He points out that this is not how Christians should act. James’ reasoning is that everyone is created by God, so we should treat them as such, including in the way we speak. (See also James 2:19-20.)

On August 31 and September 1, I attended a meeting of leaders of our church body from the various regions in the northwest. Among the obvious topics of discussion was the COVID pandemic facing the people in our country and around the world. We discussed the impact of this virus in our churches. Together we shared what we have learned, and the unique challenges this disease has brought to God’s people. Sadly, more than one person shared about division exhibited among God’s people in confronting this illness. One leader said, and I paraphrase, “If someone makes a statement about what we should do in regard to this virus, almost immediately there are two sides which are dug in. People in one group look at the other, not just like they disagree with the other group’s ideas, but like they are contemptible for even thinking those things.” It sounds like the advice of James about treating one another as children of God is not always being heeded in today’s Christian congregations.

Such confrontational conversation is also taking place in our broader communities, and not just concerning COVID. It seems that civil discourse about important issues has disappeared. Instead of listening to one another, my impression is that people first make accusations. Sadly, God’s people also behave in this way. So, in churches and in our society, we are divided.

Jesus gave good direction about speaking with someone we feel has wronged us. “If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over.” (Matthew 18:15) Instead of talking ABOUT someone else, Jesus says speak TO them, privately. This advice is wisdom from our Lord.

God also inspired St. Paul to write concerning Christian conversation, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.” (Ephesians 4:15) Following this direction from God is not as easy as it sounds. It can be easy to share the truth in an unloving manner. We can seek to be kind, and in so doing, refrain from the pain of the truth. But, God calls us to lovingly speak the truth.

In fact, Peter wrote about how Jesus spoke as He sacrificed His life to pay the debt of our sins, including our sins of unloving speech. “21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 22 ‘He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.’ 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:21-23) Through suffering and dying for us, Jesus calls us to believe in and to follow Him. If we believe in Jesus as our Savior, if we are followers of Christ, Peter says that His example includes how we speak. If we follow our Lord we don’t lie or deceive. We do not retaliate when insulted. We trust our heavenly Father to bring His wisdom and justice into our lives. You can see that how we treat and how we speak about one another is not so much about what to do in regard to COVID. How we treat and how we speak about one another is about following Jesus.

St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer has begun a new effort and emphasis to grow disciples of Jesus and to deal with our congregational mortgage debt. The large committee leading this effort has chosen the title, “Choose to be Different.” God’s children at St. John want to follow Jesus in a world which walks to a different tune. The people of St. John want to let the light of Jesus shine through our words and our lives. If we speak to and with one another in truth, lovingly, trusting our Lord to act in love and wisdom and justice, then we are choosing to be different. We are choosing to follow the one who amazingly sacrificed His life for us.

So, how are you doing? Are you loving others as fellow human beings created by our Heavenly Father, including in the ways you speak to them and about them? I appreciate the theme, “Choose to be Different.” I want to speak the truth in love, loving and respecting fellow children of God. How about you?