Sermon for 13 September 2015: The Power of Words
Sermon for Sunday, 13 September 2015
16th Sunday after
Pentecost
The Rev. Carrie Ballenger Smith
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Grace and peace to you from God our
Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
On Friday
morning I was walking from Redeemer Church here in the Old City to St. Andrew’s
Scottish Church in West Jerusalem. It’s not a short walk, and it was a hot day,
so I decided to try a back route that would hopefully shave off a few minutes. I
went out through Jaffa Gate, through the park, past the fountains, to a garden
path which I was fairly certain would lead me to St. Andrew’s.
The only
other person on the path was a man who seemed to be walking the same direction.
We struck up a conversation, half in Arabic, and half in English. We walked
along, and as the Scottish flag in the distance got closer, I was feeling proud
that I could not only find my way across Jerusalem, but also hold my own while speaking
Arabic. In fact, I’d say I was feeling more than proud—powerful, even! Because
words have power.
And then,
this man I didn’t know decided to proposition me for something beyond
conversation. Several times, in several languages. Sadly, it’s not the first
time this has happened to me. Even sadder, I think it would be hard to find a
woman in this world who has not been
the object of catcalls, whistles, unwanted propositions, or degrading comments
about her appearance. Thank God, this man’s bad behavior was limited to his
words. I was ever so grateful to arrive at the gates of St. Andrew’s. However,
by the time I arrived, because of what he said, I was no longer feeling proud,
or strong, or powerful. I was afraid. Because words have power.
When I was a
kid, I loved to use words to test out my imagined life plans with my dad. I can
remember saying “Maybe I’ll be a concert pianist.” “Maybe I’ll be a doctor.”
“Maybe I’ll be music teacher.” “Maybe I’ll go to Africa and teach little
children.” “Maybe I’ll write books.” I was looking for some direction, I
suppose, some hint about what I was expected
to do. But every time, no matter how crazy my idea, what I remember my dad
saying is, “Carrie, you can do anything if you set your mind to it.” Not “Well,
that’s pretty hard.” Or “That’s too far away” or “Don’t you want to have a
family?” just “You can do anything, if you set your mind to it.” Thanks be to
God for my dad, because these were the words I remembered when we were moving
across the country for grad school with scarcely two nickels in the bank, and again
when I returned to seminary in my thirties, and especially when we were
considering a move halfway across the world to Jerusalem. I can do anything, if
I set my mind to it.
Words have
power.
We believe
that words have power, or we wouldn’t be sitting here, as a group, all praying
and singing the same words together, and listening to one person speak at a
pulpit for twelve minutes.
Words have
power, which is why the three little words “Black Lives Matter” have become a
wedge phrase that divides communities and even churches in the United States.
Words have
power, especially words like “right of return”, “occupation”, “administrative
detainment”, “apartheid”, or even “State of Palestine”. In fact, in this
context, certain words have so much power that we must often edit ourselves,
choosing different language for different conversations and different rooms of
people.
Words have
the power to build up or to tear down. As it says in our Epistle lesson for
today, “With (our tongues) 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.” Nearly the entire book of James is devoted to the power of
speech. Ironically, this book which is so focused on the potential harm our words
can do makes liberal use of wordy analogies: Humans and their tongues are like
horses, led around by a small bit in our mouths. Humans are like ships, directed
by a very small rudder. The tongue is a small fire, which can easily set a
whole forest ablaze. The tongue is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
The point of
the book of James is clear: Words have power, and we humans often abuse this
power. But, as the author states in verse 10, “My brothers and sisters, this
ought not to be so.”
As we begin
this new season of work and study and life in the Holy Land, today’s reading
from the book of James reminds us that the power of speech is a gift from God—and
then calls us to use that gift wisely.
The third chapter
of James begins by saying: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers
and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater
strictness.”
In the
Gospel of Luke, Jesus himself says something similar, stating: “to whom much
has been given, much will be required; and from the one to whom much has been
entrusted, even more will be demanded” (Luke 12:48.) Or, to quote the great
philosopher Ben, the uncle of Spiderman: “With great power comes great
responsibility.”
In other
words, the book of James urges us to be aware not only of the power of words, but
how position and privilege changes how those words are heard. Our tongues do
not exist in the world by themselves. A tongue is attached to a mouth, which is
attached to a body, which is covered in skin, which walks in a particular place
in society. Being aware of the power of words means recognizing the body our
tongue inhabits.
After all,
it wasn’t just the words the man said to me on my walk to St. Andrew’s Church
that made me afraid—it was the fact that he was a man, and I am a woman, and we
are living in a profoundly patriarchal and sexist world.
And it wasn’t
just the words that my father said that gave me the strength to take risks and
be bold in life, it was the fact that he is my father, and I am his daughter,
and therefore his words carry far greater weight than the same words said by
anyone else.
Many in this
room are here because our faith in God compels us to live and serve among those
who are facing injustice and inequality in this place. Most of us are people
who hope to be an alternative voice for peace in a world which cries “war”, and
a voice for love in a world which shouts “hate.” But we do this best when we acknowledge
the bodies our tongues inhabit. In other words, we can best use the God-given
gift of our tongues for good when we are aware of how our skin color, education,
gender, passport, profession, or religion affects how our speech is heard.
For example,
it is powerful—and painful-- when a white male presidential candidate makes fun
of women, Asians, blacks, and immigrants on the campaign trail.
But it is also
powerful--and hopeful--when an American Lutheran bishop speaks against the extension of the Israeli
separation wall in the Cremisan Valley!
It is powerful—and
degrading-- when western reporters refer to Middle Eastern families crossing
borders as “waves of immigrants” or “hordes of refugees.”
But it is
also powerful--and life-giving--when a person we have wronged says to us, “I forgive you.”
Words have
power. Our tongues can be powerful weapons of destruction, or they can be powerful
tools for change.
As
Christians, we are called to think about power differently. We view power
through the witness of Jesus. On the cross, Jesus showed us that the best thing
to do with power and privilege is to use them for the good of those who have none.
On the cross, the One who possessed everything—even divinity—gave it away for the
sake of sinners like you and me. On the cross, the One who could have had it
all—the biggest kingdom, the most riches, the best of everything in this world—instead
emptied himself, so this broken world could possess peace, wholeness, and
reconciliation.
As disciples
of Jesus Christ, we are called to take up the cross and follow him on this
radically new path, using all that we possess for the good of our neighbor—including
the God-given gift of speech. We are called to speak words of healing, of
forgiveness, and of hope. We are called to speak out when we see the image of
God being denied in our neighbor.
Granted, we
don’t always get it right. As James reminds us, “No human being can tame the
tongue.” We confess that we are often in bondage to our tongues. Sometimes this
tiny member of our body rules us. Sometimes we really are a ship being steered
by a tiny rudder that leads us into conflict and division and away from the
love of God and love of neighbor. Sometimes, in spite of our best intentions,
we say things that hurt rather than heal, that tear down rather than build up.
But thanks
be to God, we aren’t in this alone. Thanks be to God, we have heard the Good
News that Jesus, the Word made flesh, has been born among us.
Jesus, the
Word made flesh, healed and forgave and multiplied bread with just a word.
Jesus, the
Word made flesh, showed us the path of discipleship with the words, “Follow me.”
Jesus, the
Word made flesh, comes to heal and empower us today, in, with and under the
bread and wine, accompanied by the most powerful words of all: “This is my
body, given for you.”
Words have
power. So on this day when we are commissioning new partners in mission, and
when we ask for God’s blessing on the work of our hands, I ask that you also commit
to using the God-given gift of your tongue for the good of your neighbor.
As God our
Creator spoke the world into existence, may we speak peace into this conflicted
land.
As Jesus our
Savior spoke words of forgiveness even from the cross, may we speak words of
grace and healing to broken hearts.
As the
Spirit of Wisdom inspires us to speak truth to power and challenge injustices, may
we always remember to first take up the cross before we open our mouths.
And may the
words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in your
sight, O Lord, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
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