The end of August, the boys and I went to Yosemite for a couple nights. First time for all of us! We were amazed by the splendor and beauty. Our first activity was the guided tour of the valley in the open bed truck. El Capitan, Half Dome, the Cathedrals heralded the splendor of creation. The only downside was that there was not a waterfall to be seen. Curse that drought! That just means we will go back during a wet year. Cooper spent lots of time creating panoramas and spectacular pictures and I was so pleased the nearby forest fires were not tainting our chromatic memories on the first day. On the second day when the wind changed it was harder to see. Our first day ended with us sneaking into in the restrooms at the Ahwahnee Hotel to dress for dinner, so we could enjoy our sumptuous meal celebrating Parker’s 17th birthday. The next day we were up early to go to the Wawona Stables, Parker and I riding Fred and Frazier respectively, while Cooper saddle up on Marilyn Mule-row, no kidding. The trail horses knew the way. It was only when we crossed the luscious golf course that we needed to pull on the reins to keep their behavior in check.
Today we will be considering if God’s wisdom affects our words and actions? Do the truths of Scripture shape your speaking and your behavior? All of us answer yes, so let’s see what God is striving to show us today. James is the only book of wisdom literature in the New Testament offering many sayings and guides for our behavior in Christ. Our Old Testament lesson speaks of Wisdom personified- the woman of wisdom who cries out in the streets, who is on the busiest street corner, who is at the gates, the place of justice. Remember if you had a quarrel with someone you would meet the elders at the gate and they would decide the matter- wisdom dispersed through justice. So today that might look like the Spirit of God’s wisdom sitting with you at Starbucks or the courtroom. The Spirit of God’s wisdom having your back when you argue with your boss, helping you choose a calm response. Or God’s wisdom in Macy’s when you are under charged for an item and you mention the mistake to the clerk.
Recently someone mentioned how she seems to leave her faith at church without bringing it with her to work or out into the world. She was talking about how she felt unable to share her faith, but I think sometimes we all compartmentalize what we do in church from the rest of our lives. We immerse ourselves in God’s wisdom on Sunday but follow foolishness Monday through Saturday. Not that we are fools, simply ones who fail to heed God’s teachings, or leave God’s wisdom for another time. We ignore that still small voice; we act like a willful child doing things our own way rather than God’s. More often than not we know what God wants us to do, but we take another path, refusing God’s counsel, ignoring God’s teaching and then calamity strikes. Proverbs declares that is when panic strikes you like a storm. We made our bed, turning from God and now there are consequences. To remedy those moments I would pray frequently “Thy Will, Not mine, be done.” Even though we know what God wants us to do; the tricky part is getting our will to line up with God’s. Praying “Thy will not mine be done” helps humble us before God and follow God’s teaching.
On Thursday, Hospice held a training here in Hubler Hall. During the welcome the CEO recognized the many voices in the room, Jewish, Buddhist, Catholic; socially minded and compassionate as we explored the Advanced Health Care Directives. He said something I loved, he welcomed the Wisdom in the room; the Spirit of God’s wisdom, Christian wisdom, the wisdom of caring for our community, especially those making end of life decisions. May we be so bold as to welcome God’s wisdom into every part of our life.
Wisdom often comes in the words we share, but words can also cause harm. Have you ever struggled with saying the wrong thing, putting your foot in your mouth or gossiping? One who gossips really is one whose tongue needs to be tamed. Have you ever wished you could take back something you said? This week I wrote an email that I accidentally sent to Reply All when it was really only meant for one person. I desperately wished I could take those words back; find a way to unclick the send button. But I could not. Once words are said, or written and sent, they are out there. They are REAL. Now of course we can say we are sorry, which I will do this week. James is counseling us to tame our tongues, mindful of all the hurt that can come from words said out of turn, or in anger. First he acknowledges we all make mistakes and I want to say grace abounds. We are called to bridle our tongues like a horse is directed by the bit in his mouth. My horse Frazier wanted to eat that wonderful fairway grass, but with the direction of the bit, he did not. We may want to say many things, even hurtful things, but God’s wisdom reins in our words. Because with a small bit of discipline, (pun intended) we can redirect our words, say more blessings than curses. James likens this to a rudder on a large ship, with a small rudder guiding the entire ship as the pilot directs. Do you let God pilot your mouth, direct your words?
So often when I meet someone new and they discover that I am a minister, they tell me how they mind their tongue, watch what they say around me. I am sure they are doing so out of respect, which I greatly appreciate. Yet why can’t we all strive to tame our tongues as if our pastor is with us all the time? Why can’t we mind our words as if God is listening? God is certainly listening!
Scripture declares, “How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire” (5-6). Your tongue is a fire. What you say can light many problems ablaze. Your unkind words can dampen another’s spirits. Your curses can dishonor God. Your tongue can poison a relationship. I keep thinking about the fires in Yosemite, I never saw them, but they colored our time. The smoke hung in the air and clouded our breathing. Even though you never yell at your partner, you say small digs that cloud your relationship. Or maybe you erupt in a blaze of anger only to want to make up later. Fires scarred many a tree in Yosemite, with lasting effects. Our words have lasting effects. So let God’s wisdom help to put out the fire of your words, allow God to bridle your snide comments, ask Christ to tame your tongue. Amen.
