Guess Where I've Been

The Fruit of Our Lips

For several weeks I have been contemplating the idea of Christian speech. I mean here the character of the Christian's speech. (For an excellent, and long, discussion written over fifty years ago by a Mennonite follow this link)

A few months ago I listened to a person speak on pacifism. I greatly admire this person, and agreed with virtually everything he said. However, the more adamant he became about peace, the angrier he became and the more violent his epithets became. Unfortunately, in many ways, his violence was more remembered than his pacifism. (Fortunately, I took notes on the rest of what he said!) It occurred to me then that in a moment one's words could undo a lot of good said otherwise.

Perhaps I am particularly sensitive to this issue because angry, sarcastic speech can be a besetting sin for me. As Corky has said often, the angrier I get the more lucid my speech! It's exhilarating! I am logical, and have a great memory, so I can be murderous in an argument! And that is just the point: I can kill with my tongue.

If I am to bear witness, then a large part of my public personae is my speech. And as the saying goes, "my speech betrays me". Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." My Nigerian friend, Ayo, told me about an African proverb which says that you can't blame the ugly speech of a drunk man on the drink; the drink only brings out what is inside. So, if my speech is unfruitful, I am not bearing witness to Jesus.

I am bothered by my brothers and sisters in the Religious Right who have adopted the rhetoric (both in content and style) of the Extreme Republican Right. There should be a marked difference between the speech of the Christian Conservative and the non-Christian Conservative. The Christian's speech, it seems to me, should be marked by truth and grace. It is possible to be prophetic, to rebuke and to challenge in a way that bears witness to Jesus or reflects Him. In a graceless age, my first obligation is to point the way to grace.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer."