The Word of Truth Saves You From Your Words

It’s June here in Arizona, which means people will be flocking to higher ground and cooler temperatures and we are once again going to hear warnings about and see signs of wildfires. To mitigate these destructive forest fires, rangers encourage campers to drown, stir, and feel their campfires before they leave their campsite.

But forest fires aren’t the only thing we ought to be careful about this season. In the book of James, we are told (James 3:6) our tongues are also like a fire. It has the power to set the whole course of our lives on fire. Just as a small spark can set a great forest on fire, so too can a rude or thoughtless word ignite havoc and destruction in our world.

So, just as we need to be careful with our campfires and tow chains, we need to be very careful with our words. In an earlier part of his letter, James prompts us in this direction by writing: (James 1:19-20) Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Forest rangers give people three simple steps: drown, stir, and feel. James does much the same. 1) Be quick to listen. 2) Be slow to speak. 3) Be slower still to lose your cool.

This is wonderful counsel year-round, but maybe especially valuable during the summertime. During the summer we deal with gnarly traffic, seemingly endless lines, and long car rides. And it’s not just the kids who get frustrated and lose their cool. We all do. With the kids home from school, with temperatures rising, and with unexpected stressors there are lots of moments and situations that we will be forced to confront our angry feelings.

We don’t always react well to these, do we? In the heat of the moment, we think, say, and even do things that we know are rude, scornful, and reprehensible. When we act like that we cause ourselves great shame. When we say rotten things to complete strangers or those we claim to love, we feel guilty. We know we have hurt them and there is little we can say or do that will unring that bell. Thankfully, our thoughts are a little less obvious. Yet, our loved ones can tell when we are brooding or sulking and it impacts them as well.

Unfortunately, far too often, our anger does spark a fire. It may not burn down thousands of acres, but it does damage. Our thoughts become consumed with anger and rage. We lash out at others with our words. We cause a world of hurt and pain because we couldn’t keep our angry thoughts in check. So what do we do, then? How do we stop our angry words from setting the whole course of our lives on fire.

James shows us two dead ends, and one solution. (James 1:19) Get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James wants us to see two dead ends: moral filth and the evil around you. This is how we often try to drown out our guilt and deal with our shame. When we say something hateful or harmful, we think I could have said something worse. I held back a little. Or I’ve held back in the past.

Yet, what we think is a defense is really our condemnation. Our hearts are spiritually contaminated so much that when we are squeezed by stress and pressure we ooze immoral thoughts and words. We say rotten things because at our core we are rotten.

And it doesn’t help that we are surrounded by people that do the same. Evil is everywhere around us. Time and again, we hear people rant and rave and rage against individuals and institutions. Very little of it is productive. It’s nearly impossible to find any examples that are prompted by love. Remember James said Human anger almost never produces the righteousness God desires.

Only God can produce righteousness in us and for us. We learn about that righteousness in the Word which has been planted in our hearts by God’s Holy Spirit. In the Bible, we see what righteousness is and does in the Word made flesh. Jesus dealt with countless moments that cause the rest of us to lose our cool. He was pestered by his mom. He was insulted by his brothers. He was abused by his hometown. His disciples didn’t listen well. His enemies slandered him. Yet, through it all, Jesus was quick to listen, slow to speaks and slow to become angry. The very few times we see his anger flash he was protecting the house of God as a place of worship and prayer for people. He never got angry because someone insulted him. He was quick to speak a word of forgiveness. Jesus is abounding in love and mercy and grace. That’s why he died—so that our angry words might be atoned for. Jesus is the word that saves us from our sins. His patience, his kindness, his keep no record of wrongs attitude impacts how we think and talk and act.

People and circumstances will get on our last nerves. It’s not a matter of if, but when. So what will we do when that happens?

In those moments when our anger feels like it is about to flare up, we ought to remember what James says. 1) Be quick to listen. We should think about things from the perspective of the people around us. We should listen to what they are seeing and feeling and thinking. Being quick to listen is a posture of humility. It’s our way of acknowledging that we aren’t the most important person in the room or in this situation. We are expressing love when we listen quickly and well.

After we have listened well and thoughtfully considered what we have heard, then we can speak. We must speak words of wisdom. Words of truth in a spirit of sacrificial love. We must check our sinful pride, our impatience, our self-seeking attitudes, and our cynicism. When we do that, God promises we will be blessed in all we do.