The Power of Words: Speaking with Love and Respect
Devotional
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1. "When we argue or when we disagree, Christians also disagree gently. We're not in it to hurt the other person. We're not in it to best the other person. Now, hopefully, we're in it to ultimately share our ideas and our love in meaningful ways. But we disagree gently because we know that the Holy Spirit lives within us as Christians. We depend on the Holy Spirit. And that's not just something that lives in absence of anything else. It brings change to our lives." [46:41] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "We have to remember how powerful our tongue is. And we have to be aware that what's inside of us is liable to come out in that situation. What we talk about and how we talk about it shows others how we care or not about them and about the topic that is at hand. And so it's important that we pay attention to the words that we use and recognize that in these debates, in these discussions." [58:41] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Creating that relationship with somebody else is the first step so that they can know that you care about them. And I hope because they're made in the likeness of God, you care something about them. And I hope you're willing to show your love through this connection that is made by the most powerful muscle in our body, our tongue, and our words, and the way that we greet. And the way that we bless." [59:35] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "James is comparing this to our tongues and to the words that we use, how our tongue is such a small muscle, but yet it's capable of doing many things. He goes on, though. He gives us several metaphors in this passage. He also says this in verse 4, though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder. And wherever the will of the pilot directs, so also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits." [49:56] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "James goes on. He's not through giving us images to think about here. He says, how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. And 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 life, and is itself set, on fire by hell. Sounds like they already knew what political speech would turn into, doesn't it? But he's saying again, the words that we use matter. The things that we say matter." [53:05] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "With it, we bless the Lord and God the Father. And with it, we also curse people. Who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse. My brothers and sisters, it ought not be so. And then in verse 11, he continues, does the spring pour forth from the same opening both freshwater and brackish or saltwater? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives? Or can a grapevine yield figs? no more can salt water yield fresh water." [55:40] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "What we say shows whether we have any kind of care, love, concern for the person that we're talking to. If we meet somebody for the first time on the street and suddenly they're like, and start out with one of the first things out of our mouth is, are you saved? Have we shown them that we care at all about them as an individual? Or are we showing something else? If we meet somebody and the first thing out of our mouth is, well, you should come to my church. Have we created any kind of relationship there at all for that love to be made known?" [58:41] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "James thinks it's important. And so do I. And I've seen, and I know you've seen, how it's lived out within your lives, within our culture. You know, the internet has made things worse in some ways. We don't have that person there, but we're willing to wag our tongue through virtual space anyway. Maybe for the good or for the bad. But, brothers and sisters, as we enter into these debates, we have to remember, to be excellent listeners, we have to remember to disagree gently, to value our opponent, and to love them, and to control what we say, and what we do, and the words that we use, and know that those words have the power to bless, and unfortunately to curse, those that we are speaking." [01:00:26] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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2. "We have to remember how powerful our tongue is. And we have to be aware that what's inside of us is liable to come out in that situation. What we talk about and how we talk about it shows others how we care or not about them and about the topic that is at hand. And so it's important that we pay attention to the words that we use and recognize that in these debates, in these discussions." [58:41] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Creating that relationship with somebody else is the first step so that they can know that you care about them. And I hope because they're made in the likeness of God, you care something about them. And I hope you're willing to show your love through this connection that is made by the most powerful muscle in our body, our tongue, and our words, and the way that we greet. And the way that we bless." [59:35] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "James is comparing this to our tongues and to the words that we use, how our tongue is such a small muscle, but yet it's capable of doing many things. He goes on, though. He gives us several metaphors in this passage. He also says this in verse 4, though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, yet they are guided by a very small rudder. And wherever the will of the pilot directs, so also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits." [49:56] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "James goes on. He's not through giving us images to think about here. He says, how great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire. And 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 life, and is itself set, on fire by hell. Sounds like they already knew what political speech would turn into, doesn't it? But he's saying again, the words that we use matter. The things that we say matter." [53:05] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "With it, we bless the Lord and God the Father. And with it, we also curse people. Who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth comes a blessing and a curse. My brothers and sisters, it ought not be so. And then in verse 11, he continues, does the spring pour forth from the same opening both freshwater and brackish or saltwater? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives? Or can a grapevine yield figs? no more can salt water yield fresh water." [55:40] (45 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "What we say shows whether we have any kind of care, love, concern for the person that we're talking to. If we meet somebody for the first time on the street and suddenly they're like, and start out with one of the first things out of our mouth is, are you saved? Have we shown them that we care at all about them as an individual? Or are we showing something else? If we meet somebody and the first thing out of our mouth is, well, you should come to my church. Have we created any kind of relationship there at all for that love to be made known?" [58:41] (43 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "James thinks it's important. And so do I. And I've seen, and I know you've seen, how it's lived out within your lives, within our culture. You know, the internet has made things worse in some ways. We don't have that person there, but we're willing to wag our tongue through virtual space anyway. Maybe for the good or for the bad. But, brothers and sisters, as we enter into these debates, we have to remember, to be excellent listeners, we have to remember to disagree gently, to value our opponent, and to love them, and to control what we say, and what we do, and the words that we use, and know that those words have the power to bless, and unfortunately to curse, those that we are speaking." [01:00:26] (60 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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