September 15, 2024
Pastor Skip is on vacation. Here is the sermon from our Guest Minister Rev. Drakar Druella.
Guest Minister: Rev. Drakar Druella
Sermon Title: “We Speak from Within”
Scripture: James 3:1-12
James 3:1-12
Taming the Tongue
1Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. 2For 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. 3If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. 4Or 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. 3:5 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! 6And 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. 7For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, 8but no one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 9With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. 10From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. 11Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? 12Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.
I would like to start with a few quotes:
"Be mindful when it comes to your words. A string of some that don't mean much to you may stick with someone else for a lifetime." (Rachel Wolchin)
"Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten." (Unknown)
"Words are free. It's how you use them that may cost you.”
"Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder." (Rumi)
"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." (Mother Teresa)
"Speech has power. Words do not fade. What starts out as a sound, ends in a deed." (Abraham Joshua Herschel)
There are several places throughout the Bible in which we are reminded about the power and influence of our words, and one of those places is through the letter of James.
To start, let’s explore a little background on James. James comes near the very end of the New Testament; and it’s a short letter from him, who seems to be a pastor at the time, to his congregation. He does not speak as much about the grace of God as he does about how we are called to live with grace as God’s people, nor does he talk about Jesus directly. Instead, he seems to be inviting people to live in the ways of Jesus, with the heart of Jesus. James also said that we should “be doers of the Word, not just hearers.” James was invested in how we live, and what we say and do as God’s people. He understood the power and impact of our words and how they can convey love or hate and good or evil – how they can be healing or harmful.
This is what Proverbs 21:23 says: "Those who guard their mouths and their tongues guard themselves from trouble." And this is what Psalm 34:13 says: "Then you must keep your tongue from evil and keep your lips from speaking lies!" As you can see, the impact of our words and the power of our tongues are implicitly understood throughout the Bible.
As for James, he was a creative teacher and knew how to paint vivid pictures through examples in this scripture such as references to a bridle in a horse’s mouth, a rudder on a ship, and the power of a small fire to create great damage. And boy, don’t we all know about fire these days. We’ve been having a lot of them lately, so we understand the power behind this metaphor! It’s implicit in what James says that we can all pay closer attention to our words, which have great power. Our words can be destructive and divisive, or they can bring wholeness and healing. We can choose what we say. The choice is ours, right? Or is it? Because on the one hand, we are being told to exercise control over our tongues and on the other, we are being told we “cannot tame the tongue – a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” It seems as though we are being called to essentially do the impossible.
When James said that no one can tame the tongue, he understood it well. So, if we cannot tame our tongues, as James says, then what are we to do? This is an important question, especially at a time in history when we seem to find divisiveness on so many fronts and as we approach an upcoming presidential election, as well. This is a crucial time for us all to be mindful of our speech and to exercise more compassion toward one another than ever.
So, what are we to do? Where do we begin? If you think about it, the answer lies within each and every one of us. It starts with our wills. When James talked about the bit in the horse’s mouth and the rudder on the ship, he was referring to the will of the rider and the pilot. A bit and a rudder can exercise control far beyond what might be expected from their size because they express the will of the rider and the pilot of the ship. Likewise, it’s the same with the tongue in that it is a mere instrument that expresses the will of an individual. Given this, it is important to explore how we can align our wills with God’s will and especially through our everyday actions and choices.
Do you remember the song “Accentuate the Positive”? I like the version with Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters, but there have been several other versions, too. The lyrics to the refrain go like this:
You've got to accentuate the positive,
Eliminate the negative,
Latch on to the affirmative,
Don't mess with Mr. In-Between.
You've got to spread joy up to the maximum,
Bring gloom down to the minimum,
Have faith, or pandemonium,
Liable to walk upon the scene.
So, why do I mention this song? Well, I mention it because the reality is that where we place our focus impacts what we feel and believe, and what we feel and believe impacts our wills. When our will is positively impacted by focusing upon what is noble, compassionate or admirable, we are better able to make decisions that reflect Jesus’ values and ways. There’s a reason that we listen to positive songs and read spiritual writings like the Bible. It aligns our thinking and ultimately our wills with what is right. In this song, the simple reality of focusing (accentuating) upon the positive and eliminating negative thoughts is highlighted as a means to have a positive attitude. And when we have a positive attitude, it’s easier for us to bend our wills toward making more compassionate and kind decisions as Jesus was teaching us to do on so many levels. It happens more naturally and without as much effort when we do this.
Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
I can still remember how I was feeling during the early phases of my divorce from my ex-wife. It seemed my mind would often wander into negative spaces while I was driving. I would be thinking about how unjust things were and remembering some of the unkind things she did and said to me. It was not too long before I noticed a pattern with my driving. I would become irritated and impatient when I was thinking negative thoughts about my divorce. So, I began to focus upon other things while I was driving and found that when I was reminiscing about positive things or listening to upbeat or calm music, I would be patient and calm while driving, regardless of what others were doing on the freeway. I don’t know if any of you have noticed that what you’re thinking about can impact your attitude while driving. It’s real, my friends!
Ultimately, I have learned that when I focus upon what is good in this world, my will becomes more aligned with compassion, patience, and kindness. I genuinely believe this is why we are told to focus upon whatever is right, pure and true in Philippians. It is a universal aspect of being human and on a spiritual path. We all need to focus upon these things because they impact our sense of reality and ultimately our wills. We need to do this to align our hearts and thinking with Christ’s will.
As the pilot of the ship, when we shift our focus in this way, we are stepping aside to allow the Captain of the Ship (God) to guide our actions. We may still be the pilot moving the rudder, but our actions are being guided through God’s will and not ours. Jesus did this on a daily basis. He lived and breathed this reality at a level nobody else on this planet has ever attained. In John 6:38, Jesus said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.” And even though this may be hard at times, Jesus profoundly understood how, ultimately, this is in the best interest of all.
There is an old saying, “Never go to bed angry.” There are studies that have shown the impact upon our health and well-being from holding onto anger and ruminating over it constantly. It can impact our blood pressure and the health of our hearts. It also interferes with our ability to sleep soundly. To have the last thought in your mind before you go to sleep be an angry one is hard on your heart and body and often leads to a poor night’s rest. In that same line of thinking, I have heard stories of people going in for surgical procedures and saying things they don’t remember and regret later as they are waking up from the anesthesia. I remember before the last procedure I had, I prayed for the nurses and the doctors while I was lying upon the table. I also prayed about God’s love for them, as well. When I was waking up, my wife at the time shared that I was babbling on about God’s love for them and how I had prayed for them right before they put me under! I was so full of love for everybody.
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”
Trust me, you will sleep better. And you won’t say things you’ll regret when your rudder (or tongue) is completely under the influence of your will while coming off of anesthesia!
Psalm 40:8 says, “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
When we align our wills with God through the simple choices we make in our daily lives, whether it’s through the music we choose to listen to, the spiritual books we may read, or simply the thoughts we entertain, our lives become richer and more meaningful. We also feel better about ourselves, others, and life in general. When we do this, we can truly delight in God’s will from a more natural and spontaneous place. When it comes to the point of having God’s law engraved upon our hearts, it becomes the natural expression of what we say and do. Our words become His words, because that’s what we are carrying within – God’s truth. And those are the words we want to be carrying, because we speak from within.
Rev. Drakar Druella
