Dear Friends,
In case it hasn’t become clear to you from this newsletter, I care a lot about language. The power of words, their potential, is one of the primary things that holds my attention, and it’s one of the primary things I love about Godly Play - how carefully constructed the language is and how those words are designed to work.
I’ve always thought this way about words. I can’t quite remember the first time I heard a preacher open their sermon with Psalms 19:14 - I want my words to be pleasing to God, but so often what I say falls far short of who I want to be.
I think that happens to all of us, in the litany of our failures, but at a time when so much of our communication is tied to screens, when we’re constantly being bombarded with news, when we’re forced to tie kids to screens because that’s where school is - well, what we say and what words we take in have an even bigger impact. (Need a reminder of who you’re trying to be while you’re tied to the screen? I recommend this Blessing of the Devices from the BuildFaith blog.)
In this Sunday’s lectionary reading, Jesus says a rather simple thing: “Listen and understand: it is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles.” Like Paul’s vision of the many unclean foods in the Book of Acts, these words contravene Jewish cultural norms around purity. But that’s what Jesus does - he tells us that everything we thought we knew is wrong. Shocker.
So, what words do you find on your lips lately? Or on your children’s lips? It’s so easy to echo back the worst of the world in our fear and frustration, but what we say determines who we are. Hateful language, or even just careless language, does real damage. And while learning the language of justice will not on its own transform society, it can keep us from doing more harm while we do the work.
Where do we get the words we need when we are tempted by bitterness? Some favorites, beyond foundational scripture, include:
Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing by Sally Lloyd-Jones. This lovely little book begins with the inspiration of scripture to draw in readers of all ages with joy-filled faith. Beautifully illustrated, it’s perfect for daily devotions.
Song! On Twitter the other day, I asked about the role of music in formation. I grew up with so much music, but a less-than-rigorous Sunday School program - and, honestly, the music made up for it. I have a song for everything: camp songs with hand motions, Christian music from the radio, traditional hymns, I hear a passage from the Bible and I am filled with song.
Music helps me keep God’s word on my heart and my lips throughout the day. Skip the radio stations in favor of a playlist from Sacred Ordinary Days or the traditional, multi-lingual sounds of Taize chants.
Things are still weird out here, friends, but we can use these strange times as an opportunity to draw ourselves and our families closer to God. May the words we speak be as clean as our very thoroughly washed hands.
Go forth in song,
A. Bird