Words Matter

The Gospel of John begins, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1)  That Word, of course, was Jesus, the incarnation, the Word made flesh. What that passage should also tell us is that words matter. If Jesus is the word, then words have to matter, because it means that words can change and transform the world.

In the past week we have seen the power of words. Two athletes have been caught on mics saying words that are slurs to different groups. One of them apologized and said that’s not who he is. And the other than issued a statement saying she was sorry to anyone who was offended, which is not actually an apology at all. And then of course there is what has happened in Washington, DC.

Words matter. In his letter, James says “How great a forest is set ablaze by small fire. And the tongue is a fire.” (James 3:5b-6) Earlier he had also said, “If any think they are religious and do not bridle their tongues… their religion is worthless.” I could also quote from 1 Peter, “Whoever speaks must do so as one speaking the very words of God.” (1 Peter 4:11a) Our words matter.

And then of course we could also quote Jesus who says that it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles us, because what comes out of our mouths reveals what’s in our heart. Which is why the first athlete saying that using the slur is not who he is, is a little disingenuous because he said it, and that says something. Now do we make mistakes in our speaking? Yes, and there is room for grace, for learning and also repentance.

I received an email this morning from the writer of a daily devotion that I read for a mistake he made yesterday, totally unconsciously, that referenced schizophrenics as being close-minded bigots. That was not what he intended or meant, but it is what he said. Many people pointed this out to him and he is using this as a learning experience to see where he may have biases of which he was not aware, and to correct them.

There is a statement, in different forms, that has been attributed to lots of people that originally came from Bishop Beckwith in 1885 that says:

Plant a thought and reap a word;
plant a word and reap an action;
plant an action and reap a habit;
plant a habit and reap a character;
plant a character and reap a destiny.

Or as Paul says in his letter to the Galatians “you reap what you sow” (6:7) Words matter.

But it’s not just what we say, it’s also what is planted in us. If we surround ourselves with people who are proclaiming hate and animosity, discord and conflict, bitterness and revenge, violence and lawlessness, slurs and insults, rage and lies, those things will take root in us and that is what we too will think, say and act upon.

In addition to all that happened last week, it was also the 10 year anniversary of the assassination attempt on Rep. Gabby Giffords in Tucson. An act that killed six people, including a US district judge and a 9-year-old who had been born on September 11. An act that was also likely born through extremist rhetoric.

Words matter. The words we hear matter. The words we say matter. And we cannot pretend otherwise. God said let there be light, and there was light. Words create, words challenge, words form, words corrupt, words make realities and words become flesh. If all we ever hear are words of hate or fear or rage or animosity or wrath, then we are swimming in a toxic pool which can only corrupt us and fill us with the poison that surrounds us.

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said “When evil people plot, good people plan. When evil people burn and bomb, good people must build and bind. When evil people shout ugly words of hatred, good people commit themselves to the glories of love.” He also said, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Words can inspire and words can tear down. Words can build up and words can destroy. Words can offer love and words can offer hate. Words can offer hope and words can bring despair. The words we use reflect the values we hold dear. May the words we use, may the words with which we surround ourselves, reflect the better angels of our natures, and may they always seek to bring healing and wholeness, love and belonging, not just for us, but for the world.