I Got This Email 

          Just the other day I happened to be down on the near south side of Houston.  As I made my drive I passed by a couple of the more noticeable landmarks in the Houston area; Reliant Stadium, home of the Houston Texans football team, and the Harris County Domed Stadium, also known as the Astrodome, know home of nothing and nobody.  Looking casually at the dome was sort of a sad experience until I remembered the proposal I had heard just the day before, the one about making the Dome into a movie studio thereby bringing money into the Houston economy and providing entertainment for the world.

          Then I thought about a previous venue near that same spot which long ago made the same promises; to bring money into the Houston economy and to provide entertainment for the world.  Unfortunately the spot of that unique place is even less than the home of “nothing and nobody” that the Dome is today.  I refer, of course, to our beloved Astroworld.  After all these years, I believe it has been gone for three or four years now, I still share a sigh when passing under what was at the time of its construction in 1968 the longest private bridge over a major highway in the entire country.  Today the Astroworld spot is a not so huge field.  Some of the rides and attractions are in other amusement parks of a like nature, but unfortunately most of them, I understand, were in such bad shape after their removal that they are simply scrap.

          I believe you all know Astroworld was my first official working home.  My sixteenth birthday coincided with the opening of the park.  I applied for work at the time and even though young and somewhat inexperienced in the practices of the finer things of life I was hired along with a couple of friends in the neighborhood.  My first assignment was split shift on the Astroway Alpine, which means I started mid morning and went home shortly after dinner time.  I covered the open spots when those on the other two shifts took their lunch and dinner breaks. 

          At that moment I had a decision to make.  Was I to be kind and say “yes ma’am, how may I help you?”  Or was I going to say what was in my mind?  Even though I don’t recall exactly what that thought was I guarantee you it was something snide or at the least sarcastic.  If I had gone in the first direction the lady would have thanked me and moved on, which in fact I did and she did.  Had I gone in the other direction, I doubt she would have gone away happy.  Remember the theme of the park was stuck right to my suspenders, “we make people happy.”  What I said on that occasion, the way I responded to her first question and to the one which was to follow, a question of direction, would have helped her, or perhaps caused some consternation.  The choice was mine.

          I know this story is a bit longer than most that I share with you when we come together.  I wanted to offer it not only for the sake of my own nostalgia, but also because it was a time I remember in a lighter way in my life realizing how what I said, how words and the attitude and emphasis behind them could be for positive or negative, in traditional sense for good or for not so good, even perhaps for evil.

          Now there is no secret here that there is a power in words, in the word spoken and in especially in our electronic media era in the word written. Words and how we use them can either tear down or lift up, can either hurt, heal.  I’m sure we all remember the old cliché; “sticks and stones may break my bones.”  The truth is words can hurt.  In the case of my brief encounter at Astroworld so long ago the lady in question was being courteous, she needed direction, she didn’t deserve a cutting response, actually nobody does.

          Now when we come to our scripture today we find ourselves in the midst of a great tradition.  Not only does James speak about speech and word usage here in this third chapter, he also has it as one of his primary themes through the book.  The whole Letter or Book of James thing begins with the “word” theme.   In the first chapter James says; “be slow to speak and quick to listen.”  It is more blessed you see to be attentive than it is to speak hastily and in an inappropriate fashion.  Why is this?

          We read a great deal in our times about people who are bullies and how bad bullies are.  We all remember, or we all know from our own experience now and in the past that bullies do exist.  We also know these types of folks don’t cease to be a problem when we leave school, there are even bullies, those who try to intimidate and in whatever ways make life miserable, all through life. 

          What is there about bullying which fits the discussion for today?  We know that there are several things about bullies which stand as true.  We know basically bullies are those who are self focused, who don’t mind bringing somebody down in order to be themselves lifted up in a negative sort of way.  We know also that when someone works as a bully it is his or her, yes there are female bullies, desire to exert some sort of control over someone else. 

          Bullies come in a variety of forms.  We think about those who get the better of someone else in a physical way, the image here of course is that of the playground bully.  But bullies can also try to get the better of someone by belittling them to their face, or by gossiping about their target behind that person’s back.  Fortunately most of the time a person who does something like that can in time be seen through and understood for what they are.  However before such a time as that happens, much damage can be done to someone’s reputation, or character.  And much harm can come to the ego of the one spoken of.  Bullying can result in the doubt or self respect, and can cause hurt which keeps a person away from being the best that can be.

          Obviously the message is a simple one.  Be responsible with each other.  Be careful what you say.  Don’t gossip, or say things which can be interpreted as hurtful.  Even if there is something of a true nature to share, keep it to yourself.  Don’t allow your own need to be noticed come at the expense of someone else.  We all know the practical side of this is that we are responsible for each other and responsible to help one another be what God intends us to be.  James says that if we curse someone else, or if we demean someone else, it is profaning the very creation of God.  If we cease to show love for each other, even in words, then we cease to do the work of God. 

          I like the way the Book of James says this; “With it,” that is with the tongue, with speech, “we bless the Lord and father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God.  From the same mouth comes blessing and cursing.”  James then has a direct word to offer to his audience; “My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.”  Be consistent in the positive things.  Praise God and bless those with the most holy of friendships and support.  Love one another in action, another of James’ themes, and in speech support one another, build one another up, don’t destroy.  Be consistent.

          Back last year when my father died I had time to reflect on his life officially as well as personally.  Looking back over his eighty plus years and the fifty or so years I shared with him, I couldn’t recall anything he said or did which came even close to being critical of someone else.  As a matter of fact my dad was plumbed in the nicest sort of way; I guess one would say almost to a fault, but a good fault at that. Realizing that fact now I wish I could be remembered in such a way.  Honestly I won’t because there are times I find myself being critical of another, not often out loud, but even every thought has the potential. 

The challenge of James is to pay attention not only to what you are in your walk with God, but also and especially, what you are in the way in which you relate to others, and the ways in which you talk about and to others.  According to James the tongue is a mighty small part of the body, but one that can do much good or much harm.

          But there is one more area which we can see when we look more closely at the passage.  It is where we began in this section from James 3.  I had to think about this for a brief while.  We don’t know exactly what got James started on this.  Certainly there was somebody in the church, someone he knew somewhere in the midst of the religious society, who wasn’t being at all supportive, someone who was perhaps being destructive with speech and attitude.  There was someone who by word and perhaps by action wasn’t lifting folks up but bringing them down.

          This need, whatever it was, caused James to do a little thinking about the best way to express the need.  Remember here that James, probably a brother of Jesus, literally speaking, was also a follower, and an early leader in the church following the resurrection.  James word carried weight. 

          Here in the passage James gives the people under his care a bit of a challenge.  He says; “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.”  So who are the teachers here?  I don’t believe he means teachers like in school teachers.  He might mean a religious teacher, which is getting closer to the point.  I believe when he speaks of teachers he is speaking of all of Christian practitioners.  When he speaks of those who shouldn’t be “teachers” he is talking about those who do not practice what they preach, if you’ll pardon another old cliché.  James is saying faith needs consistence.  If an individual, if any person is going to be a witness for the work of God, it must be in all ways of life, even in the way in which a person carries himself verbally. 

          James shares a few examples.  He reminds them to bless each other, and to treat one another with the same respect with which one would treat God.  He reminds them, and I suppose us as well, that all of God’s creation is in need of love and care, not of bullying or physical persecution.  He talks directly even about cursing, and about taming the tongue. To me this means watching what we say, being careful not to gossip, to spread false rumors, or even to speak ill of someone in a way in which that person might lose face, or be brought down either in emotion or in public.

          You know what I’ve noticed here?  We live in a time when words come far too easy.  There is in our technological world more chance to speak fast and to listen less because there are now so many ways to communicate without even having to look at someone in the eye, or be within ear shot of someone. 

          Think about a couple of examples.  Just this last week we had the fellow who allowed his emotion to get a hold of him during the Presidents speech.  This Joe Wilson fellow from South Carolina, I believe, has every right to have his opinion, even to share it, but when he did so at that specific time, and in the location in which he let it slip, he damaged not only himself but the integrity of the body of which he is a part.  And remember a few years ago old Mel Gibson.  Mel, the actor, if I remember the story correctly, was stopped for DUI and was recorded lambasting a specific type of people.  Fortunately the only one he hurt here was himself.  But under different circumstances someone of his standing could have been critical in a way which was influential to those who were looking for an excise to persecute.

          And then there is email.  I am convinced email can be our worst enemy for a variety of reasons.  It definitely is a place where free thought yet at the same time where unchecked words can slip through.  Email doesn’t require a face to face, it doesn’t even require knowing who and where the person is.  And what is said on email can be broadcast far beyond the target audience.  It can also do a world of hurt.

          I won’t tell the circumstance exactly but I am a part of an organization which has occasion to sent out a quantity of email communications.  It is not uncommon for people to shoot out a few thoughts to a few people, and more.  One afternoon, just a few weeks ago, I received an email from one of the members.  It was a fellow I have known for some years, one I have trusted because of previous experiences.  For some reason he was sharing his opinion concerning another member of the organization. I don’t even remember why.  I made the mistake of reading his remarks and I guarantee you my esteem for this fellow, the one who sent the email, no the subject of the email, dropped considerably.  He was playing the roll of the bully.

          What was even worse was the fact that in short order the person about whom he had spoken, the one of which he was critical, received a copy of the email.  Someone, three or four hands down, innocently shared the information and the opinion.  I am not passing judgment here on whether the issue raised in the communication was true or not.  I am passing on the thought that the communication I received was an example of how we forget to take time to think before speaking, even when doing so electronically. 

          The bottom line of the whole thing, including the passage for today is this; there are consequences to what we say.  In the words of James we who are faithful are teachers.  We teach about the person and the word of God as we know it in Jesus.  If we who are teachers are seen in ways other than at our best, our actions just might do more than harm us, they may well hurt the cause of faith, and lead someone away from the life saving grace of God.

          James takes on practical issues all through this little letter we have in the New Testament.  He speaks of practicing what we preach, and of living out the Gospel and of making our faith not only that which we feel, think, and know, but that which we do.  And James also gives us some very practical information.  He challenges us to remember in the church, and outside of the church, that we who claim to be Christian are here for the Kingdom of God.  We are here to help make the world a better place.  May we be challenged to be consistent.  May we remember to love one another in all of the ways at our disposal.  This includes not being critical.  Not thinking so much of ourselves that we allow our words to degrade another in order to lift ourselves up. 

          James challenges us to remember that in a way we are teachers and as such we share from our own experience the blessings of the Lord.  God gives us faith at every point of our living.  Let us remember to lift each other up; to follow one of the basic operating procedures of James by being quick to listen, and being slow to speak. 

          And when we do speak, let speech be words which befit the faith and words which are consistent in our love and respect for God and for those who are God’s good creation. 

At the end of our passage are a couple of interesting thoughts.  I suppose we can say our speech should be like a spring of fresh water, should bear good fruit, and should be true to God’s word. 

          So there are some good goals here; be consistent when you speak to and about God and when you speak to and about those whom God has created in love.  And follow the advice of James in the daily living of life, even speaking in life, and doing so in a fashion which is pleasing to God. 

          The world needs those who speak and show love.  The world needs those who lift people up and do not push people down for any reason.  The world needs those who are positive teachers who direct the church in the way of Christ.  The world needs us all to live life in God’s sight both living and even in our patterns and practices of “speaking” doing so as though we are face to face with God himself. 

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For additional information on this Sermon article, please contact:

Richard Laster
(713) 468-3276

Source: Richard Laster

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