5 August 2014 - rooted speaking

5 August 2014 - rooted speaking

It is not what enters one’s mouth that defiles the man;
but what comes out of the mouth is what defiles one.”

It is neither the wind nor the waves that have power over us.  It is what we do that gets us into trouble.  We see this starting from our inability to control our speech.  James tells us, "If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also" (cf. Jam. 3:2).  We realize that even if our success rate is pretty high, words we regret still slip past our guard from time to time.

This is why Paul is always admonishing his readers to avoid "silly or suggestive talk" (cf. Eph. 5:4) and "profane, idle talk" (cf. 2 Tim. 2:16).  James tells us that it is a big deal what we do with our speech because it can set our course like a rudder does for a boat.  Paul tells us just what the mouth is for and how to use it to keep our boats on course.  For each one of us, the main purpose of speech is so that if "you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (cf. Rom. 10:9).  From that point of view it only makes sense that "No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear" (cf. Eph 4:29).

But we can't be like Hananiah yesterday and just speak the good that seems best to us without reference to the LORD.  The Pharisees today are doing what they think is best, too.  They want to bring devotion to the masses, letting the peoples engage more deeply with their religion through ritual washing and the like.  But the good that they promote isn't a good that is close to God's heart. We need to be rooted in God and speak the nourishing good we receive through him.

He said in reply, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted.  

When we are rooted in him he will empower us to share his good news rather than our own. We will say with the psalmist that "The Lord will build up Zion again, and appear in all his glory" and be fully convinced of it.  Rooted in God we will tell the world with all sincerity that he "looked down from his holy height, from heaven he beheld the earth, to hear the groaning of prisoners, to release those doomed to die."  We are convinced of this because, as branches of the vine, as plants rooted in good soil, we receive that very salvation from the LORD.  This is what happens when we use our speech in accord with the purpose of the one who gave it to us.  Then we can then tell the world things that seem almost too good to be true and yet to be convincing.

Thus says the LORD:
See! I will restore the tents of Jacob,
his dwellings I will pity;
City shall be rebuilt upon hill,
and palace restored as it was.
From them will resound songs of praise,
the laughter of happy men.
I will make them not few, but many;
they will not be tiny, for I will glorify them.
His sons shall be as of old,
his assembly before me shall stand firm;
I will punish all his oppressors.
His leader shall be one of his own,
and his rulers shall come from his kin.
When I summon him, he shall approach me;
how else should one take the deadly risk
of approaching me? says the LORD.
You shall be my people,
and I will be your God.