“For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in their words, that one is a perfect person, able to hold the whole body in check. –James 3:2
This verse is right after James says, “not many should be teachers”. This is an incredibly sobering verse when connected to the fact that we teachers “will receive a greater judgment”. Verse 2 tells us that we will mess up, we will stumble in our words.
In Craig Blomberg’s commentary on James he says, “sooner or later every teacher will do damage.” He’s right. Given the amount of words pouring out of my mouth—both publicly and privately—some of them will do harm. And it pains me to say that not every one of those harmful words will be unintentional. I know my own heart too well and I believe the Scriptures, I’m not a “perfect man”. I’m not immune to using my words for harm instead of good.
These truths can cause a great deal of fear. I think it’s why John Knox would say things like “I have never feared the devil, but I tremble every time I enter the pulpit.” But Mr. Knox doesn’t aim quite high enough. Though our trembling is likely magnified in the pulpit, our mouths are just as helpful or harmful at the bedside of hurting saints.
I’m going to hurt people.
That hurts.
So why keep doing it? Why keep teaching? Why keep preaching? The more words I speak the more capacity for harm, so why not become silent?
Because harm isn’t the only story our mouths can tell.
Hope is the other.
And if there’s an opportunity to give hope then its worth the risk of harm. We are sobered by the negative impact our mouths can have upon others. This causes us to labor at choosing our words carefully. It causes us to pray that God would protect us not only from sinful speech but also from the unintentional stuff that happens.
But ultimately we know that God uses crooked sticks to make straight lines and dirty mouths filled with soap bubbles to testify to his ongoing redemption. He’s cleaning us up. And that means we now speak hope as well as harm—even more than harm.
So we open our mouths even wider because we believe the Lord intends to pour forth redemption. And to use our not yet fully redeemed mouths to do it.
For Listeners
I also believe this truth has something to say for us as listeners as well. This is why listening with hope-filled love matters so much too. James 4:2 means there will almost always be a nit that you can pick out of your pastors sermon, his bedside prayer, his newsletter article, his throwaway comments as your leaving church, etc. etc. But redemption means there is almost always going to be hope that you can pick out as well.
If you are looking for fodder to fill up a cannon to blow away your teachers then you’re going to be given plenty of ammunition. But wouldn’t you rather be looking for the fingerprints of Jesus and picking up shards of hope?
—
Photo source: here
