I recently rewatched Raiders of the Lost Ark with my youngest. What a thrill! Start to finish, this first film in the Indiana Jones series is packed with memorable, tense scenes which hold you on the edge of your seat as this adventurer/archeologist takes on the world one treasure and bad guy at a time.
The opening cave sequence, loaded with traps, remains stunning. According to Indiana Jones wiki, The Temple of the Chachapoyan Warriors was a dark, well-protected cave that housed a prized golden fertility idol [see photo]. The temple had many defenses, including spears, darts, a large boulder, and should the idol be disturbed, the collapse of the temple itself.” He knew that if you wanted the prize, all you could do was to grab the idol and run, letting the destruction fall in your wake.
These weeks have been – and continue to be – a treacherous path, littered with obstacles and challenges. This coronavirus, quarantine, election season has brought out the worst in many of us. Speaking for myself, I have been isolated and agitated more than usual, so my first response to a difficult conversation or tense situation isn’t always my best response. My words fall short of patience and grace.
James writes about the power of our words in the New Testament. “If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits… With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.” (James 3:3 ff).
As children, we are corrected when we snipe at others or tell lies. (I can still taste the soap in my mouth from my childhood.) We chant the playground refrain, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,” without realizing that this couldn’t be further from the truth. Words have power. Words can break someone’s spirit, derail a dream, or end a friendship.
As adults, we no longer have regulators, so when we are angry, frustrated, or tired, we tend to lash out.
Do we have a right to say what we want? Yes. Should we speak up against injustice and falsehood? Yes. But it is crucial that we choose and use our words carefully, interpreting everything a friend or stranger does in the best possible light.
Martin Luther, in his Small Catechism notes about The Eighth Commandment, agrees saying, “We are to fear and love God, so that we do not tell lies about our neighbors, betray or slander them, or destroy their reputations. Instead we are to come to their defense, speak well of them, and interpret everything they do in the best possible light.” I need to read this a few more times and let it sink deep into my soul. Part of not bearing false witness against our neighbor is holding our tongue. We are called to do everything in our power to guard their reputations.
Radio host Bernard Melzer, paraphrasing the poet and scholar Rumi, liked to say, “Before you speak ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid.” The apostle Paul preferred to say it this way, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” (Ephesians 4:32).
This is a crucial and age-old message - for me, for you, for our nation, and for our world. May we be careful with our words. They not only have the power to hurt and harm, but also the muscle to encourage and empower. Let us continue to lead with hope, patience, and love. Will you join me?
Trying to choose love,
Pastor Lowell
image from Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Spielberg, 1981, Film.