One spring's NCAA men's college basketball tournament, otherwise known as March Madness, a player from the University of Wisconsin had an embarrassing moment. This player didn't miss a last second shot or foul out. His faux pas didn't happen in front of millions viewing the game on television. It occurred while chatting with a handful of reporters in a small room during a press conference.Throughout the tournament, the star player was enamored with the female stenographers who wrote down his every word.
The host of the press conference who had noticed this quirky admiration, playfully asked the player if there was anything he wanted to say to the stenographers before they started.After uttering a nonsense word in an apparent attempt to confound the work of the stenographers, he turned and smiled at them. He then turned to the teammate sitting on his right and whispered, "[Gosh], she's beautiful."Hearing the muffled laughter of several reporters, he then turned and asked, "Did you hear that?"Yup. The microphone in front of him had amplified his whisper. Everyone in the room had heard it, including the stenographer. He raised his hands in front of his face, but he couldn't hide. The video of his whisper soon went viral, and millions heard and saw his private moment.
Microphones can be dangerous. Sometimes hot mics can land us in hot water. They amplify everything. Even the things we wish they wouldn't.The microphone doesn't know good singing from bad. It doesn't know the difference between what is to be said at a press conference and a private whisper to a teammate. The microphone amplifies everything.Those who wear microphones can sometimes forget this. Like the day President Obama was having a casual conversation about the Video Music Awards as a video crew prepared for an interview. While chatting about the night Kanye West bizarrely interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech, someone asked why West would do that. President Obama, apparently forgetting his mic was hot and that the cameras were rolling, said with a smile, "He's a jackass."When the crew cracked up laughing, the President realized how embarrassing this could be. He immediately began to ask them to "cut the President some slack."While these examples make us smile, they are the exception. Many of the so-called "hot mic gaffes" that go viral contain profane, sexist, racist or combative language. They have ruined political campaigns, careers of reporters and even strained international relations.While you may not spend much time near a microphone, all of us have experienced the power of words.
At a local restaurant, you've been chatting with a close friend about your relationship with an annoying coworker. Suddenly you notice one of that coworker's closest friends is seated at a nearby table. How much of your gossip did she hear?During a text conversation with your best friend, you vent about your spouse's recent detachment and other shortcomings. A few minutes later, in a sudden moment of panic, you grab your phone to confirm that text indeed was sent to your friend and not your spouse!While chatting after worship about a recent decision by the church board with which you disagree, you notice another church member who appears to have been listening intently. Immediately you begin reviewing the conversation in your mind, hoping you didn't say anything they might find insulting.
Unlike the embarrassment of a college athlete's reckless flirtation, a pastor's bad singing or an off-hand comment by the President, these situations can do real damage. Friendships are lost, marriages are strained, work environments are made uncomfortable and church disputes become heated because of a careless word.Once leaving our lips, our words are out of our control. You can't get toothpaste back in the tube. The bell cannot be un-rung. The train has left the station. Our words may not "go viral," but they may "go virus," infecting more people than we'd care to know.
Like a bit in a horse's mouth, or the rudder of a ship, James teaches us that our tongues can lead us places we do not want to go. Then he reminds us that the damage can be far more catastrophic. As a tiny fire can grow out of control and destroy everything around it, so, too, can a careless word wreak havoc upon relationships and reputations.James' message in our text, then, is nothing more than a call to choose between words that hurt or words that heal.We know this all too well. Despite all our accomplishments in adulthood, a parent's careless words spoken 30 years ago still sting. The uninformed opinion of a teacher still affects your decisions even though you have a successful career. Although others have told you how gifted you are, a bad performance review -- formal or informal -- still echoes years later. Those words are amplified in our hearts without the aid of a microphone.But, like a viral video of a hot mic gaffe or a small flame that grows into a raging fire, our words once spoken are out of our control. The damage can be devastating.
Fortunately, our words can also be used to bless, as James notes. They can be used to bring healing to injured souls. Every word we speak falls into one of three categories: Emotionally hurtful, emotionally neutral or emotionally healing. Because we use language to report or pass on information, much of our speech falls into the "emotionally neutral" category. Where would we place the bulk of the other words we speak? Emotionally hurtful (harmful), or emotionally healing?Toward the end of this passage, James shifts metaphors to illustrate that our words tell the world something about our hearts. Like the fruit tells us about the tree, and the water downstream tells us about the source, our words say something about us. When we have assumed a teaching role, our words not only represent us, but our whole group, which sometimes is all of Christianity. Before posting, sharing, tweeting or chatting, we need to measure our words to be sure we are representing Christ well.As our words have power to destroy, they also have the power to strengthen, encourage and affirm those whom we love. The right words from the right person can do amazing things for us. The words of a parent who reminded us we were still loved after getting dumped by our first boyfriend or girlfriend are remembered. The words of a mentor encouraging us to take that next step because they see our talent and ability, still prod us along. The words "I love you" from the lips of our spouse still have the ability to make our day.
As the people of God, we are called to be those people for someone else. When we come together on a Sunday morning to praise God, unite our voices in prayer and together confess our faith through creeds and affirmations, we are using our tongues in service to God.After worship, when we encourage one another when we tell our story to someone in our small group who can learn from our mistakes, or pause to pray with a friend who is struggling, we are, in the words of James, sharing a blessing. But it doesn't stop there.When we compliment the work of someone we supervise at the office, when we offer a word of encouragement to someone who is supervising us, when we leave a note of appreciation for our waiter at the restaurant, when we compliment the youth in our church or neighborhood -- when we do this, we are living our calling.Our tongues are powerful tools. We must use our words wisely.Hot microphones can be awfully embarrassing when they amplify the wrong things, but never a problem when we're building others up and blessing God. Let us always speak in such a way that we never fear a hot mic, a nosey neighbor or an errant text. "Watch your mouth!" the apostle James says.Good advice.
Let us pray.
In our Gospel Reading today, Jesus tells us to caution our words or criticism when we ourselves have behaviors of our own that need work. We pray that we will gain modesty and humility so that we can help those in need without coming across critical or with a sense of superiority. We pray to the Lord.
We pray that this season of Lent be a time of renewal for all Christians and that our efforts to draw closer to Christ draw us closer to each other. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for an understanding and sympathy for the plight of refugees and for a reflection that each of these men, women and children is an image of the infant Jesus who was also sadly refused a room in the inn. We pray to the Lord.
As the people of our nation face difficult and confusing choices in the forthcoming elections, we pray for the safeguarding of democracy and for fair voting practices. We pray to the Lord.
We pray that the cry of the suffering people of Gaza be heard by those whose influence and power can bring an end to the bloodshed, hunger, homelessness and loss of life in that besieged territory. We pray to the Lord.
We pray for Ukraine that may be given the resources they need to defend themselves and that this horrific war be ended soon. We pray to the Lord.
We ask that the Holy Spirit lead some benefactors to our humble parish and see our vision and invest in our ministry and parish so that we may have the financial wherewithal to continue our ministry. We also pray for vocations to the priesthood. We pray to the Lord.
For those on our parish prayer list, that they may receive swift answers to their needs and that they may find consolation through Christ’s healing presence. We pray to the Lord.
We bow our heads and remember in silence our own personal intentions and the intentions of those who have asked for our prayers (pause). We pray to the Lord.
Merciful God, we know James' words to be all too true! We say the very thing we do not want to say, with words that are angry, reactionary, thoughtless, self-righteous and mean-spirited. We speak when we should remain silent, and we remain silent when we should speak with boldness for the sake of love and justice. We cannot tame our wild and rebellious tongues on our own. We ask for your forgiveness and for your deliverance. Restore and redeem us, that our mouths might declare the wonder of your grace, the beauty of your creation and the joy of being your forgiven sons and daughters.
O God, Often times it is the past that drives our words today , so we ask that you would help us to let go of what is past. Release us from anger and resentments and hurts of days gone by; free us from bitterness and help us to fill this space with the love of Christ.We offer our gratitude for the gift of love.We offer our thanks for those people in our lives who love us unconditionally.We offer our thanks for those who provide a safe place in the shelter of their unselfish love.We offer our praise for those who give, expecting nothing in return for the gift.We offer our gratitude to those who cause us to rise to our greater selves.We offer thanks for those who help us to put the pieces of our lives back together when dreams and hopes are shattered.We remember now those in need of your comforting presence: (offer specific intercessions).Gracious God, we praise you for hearing the inmost desires of our hearts. We cast away our fears and anxieties.
We lay it all before you. While we honor the past, we also look forward to the future with hope and love. We ask all these things through Christ our Lord. Amen.
God Love You.
The Most Rev. Robert Winzens
Pastor – St. Francis Chapel
San Diego, CA.
As a small parish, we come to you all as beggars! All non-profits compete for your support, and many serve the community’s great needs, and we do not ask you to stop giving to them. But maybe one week or month, we ask that you consider a small donation to our humble parish. Your generous support also allows us to continue these important projects that fuel the movement of progressive Christianity. God will look on your donation grant you his grace in abundance! Thank you and God bless you! +++
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