The Power of Words
Remind them of this, and charge them
before
the Lord to avoid disputing about words, which does no good, but only
ruins
the hearers.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who
has
no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth
2Timothy 2:14-15
A recent news story tells how commentator Rush Limbaugh, was fired from
the
football sports show Sunday NFL Countdown for remarks made about
Philadelphia
Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb (no relation). Limbaugh said McNabb
received
undeserved credit for his team's success from the media because they
are
"very desirous that a black quarterback do well."
At a news conference McNabb identified racism and negative attitudes
as motivating factors in his life. He said, "I'm a football player. My
dream
was to play football, play in the NFL, and I will continue to fulfill
my
dream."
Based on those comments, a national newscaster said McNabb would
"continue
to play professional football despite the criticism."
John Beukema, a contemporary preacher and writer says:
I thought, How ridiculous. Obviously this newsperson
doesn't
know sports. Why would you give up everything just because someone on
the
sidelines, who's never even been in the game, thinks you stink? Doesn't
this
person know that being a professional football player is bigger than
one
negative comment or a thousand?
Then I wondered, How much criticism should a servant of God be able to
endure? 1.
Of course the Rev. Mr. Beukema is totally correct.
But a question I wonder about is, how many people have had their dreams
or
their lives put under a cloud because someone decided to rain on their
parade
with negative and hurting words?
To stay with the football analogy, 'big linemen and linebackers may
break
your bones, but words can really hurt ya'
That is true in more ways than one.
When Paul writes to Timothy to warn his contemporaries about getting
into
fruitless disputes over words he likely did not have gossip or
criticism
in mind.
What he is referring to is getting embroiled in foolish controversies
that
have no merit.
The Western Church, of which we are descendents split from the Eastern
Church,
the Orthodox churches, over a dispute about words.
It was called the Procession debate.
The issue was this: in their confession of faith, was it to be said
that
the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father, the Son or both?
In other words, is it God the Father or Jesus the Son who sends us the
Spirit?
There were other issues such as which city would be pre-eminent, Rome
or
Constantinoble, but this debate over words split the church in two.
It is amazing how easy it is in life to focus on minutae and then to
totally
neglect what is important.
He is not saying to Timothy not to stand up for what he believed was
true. Paul would never counsel that.
He is saying, "don't get embroiled in debates over things that don't
matter, or are just speculative."
In fact he says don't even get into arguments with people who are
telling outright falsehoods. Avoid them and make sure you preach the
truth about Jesus.
Stay focused on what is important.
Will I defend the Lordship of Jesus? Absolutely.
Not that Jesus needs defending, but I will absolutely stand my ground
on being his follower.
But unlike my youth, I will go out of my way to avoid getting embroiled
in doctrinal arguments.
I will just preach the gospel as I believe it it taught in scripture.
In Jerusalem recently, the Church of the Holy Sepulcar had to be fenced
and guarded because two of the Christian groups who each claim
ownership over the site got into a physical dust-up because a member of
one group moved his chair into space claimed by another. Believers
fighting over space in the Church that supposedly is built on the site
of Jesus resurrection!
Crazy isn't it?
The kind of thing that gives believers a bad name.
Verbal fights are just as bad.
There is another way in which words have power.
They have power in the way we use them with one another.
Name calling and gossip come to mind.
One of the worst forms of that in the church are the diagnostic lables
we sometimes throw around.
I hate the term "dysfunctional family" for example.
When you call someone's family "dysfunctional", you then can negate
them. They don't have to be taken seriously or maybe even respected.
We all have functional and dysfunctional elements in all our families.
Any family that can feed its children and raise them to participate in
a community is functional on at least some levels.
But sure we all can function poorly at seasons in our life, or under
some circumstances. We are all a bit bruised and lopsided in life. And
isn't it wonderful God loves us all.
And that is one of the wonderful things about the church...I am
lopsided this way, you are lopsided in a different way, but together we
help one another along the path.
There are other labels and pigeon holes we have in our language. Listen
to your own speech and see if you use labels for others and how that
changes how you think about them. Labels rarely ever elevate others in
our eyesight. Try using words that elevate others.
The church in earlier times used wonderful words like, "brother" and
"sister" and "saints".
When someone is a "brother" or a "sister" or a "beloved of the Lord"
instead of "drug addict" or "under achiever", that puts quite a
different spin on how you see and treat them.
Maybe we could learn a thing or two by bringing back some of the speech
we now think is archaic, if only to recover terms of respect and terms
of endearance.
It doesn't mean to be a Polyana.
I had a discussion recently with a church leader about why we sometimes
need to intervene with people.
It's no fun and no one enjoys it, but when you intervene you are
saying, "I believe you are capable of being and doing better", and we
try to help them up to a higher level of functioning.
But in the process we should never demean others by the words we use
with them.
Here is something we can all try this week:
Try using words of blessing with the people you meet.
I cannot give you a list, but try saying something that elevates the
person.
Say something truly encouraging.
Even when there doesn't seem to be much to be encouraged about,
remember this is a person Jesus died for.
Be careful with the words you use.
Use powerful words of blessing. We might be surprised with the results.
Preached October 14, 2007
Dr. Harold McNabb
West Shore Presbyterian
Church
Victoria, British Columbia
Notes
1. John Beukema,
Western Springs, Illinois
. Quoted in Preachingtoday.com
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