A Word from Joel - October 9, 2024
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6
This week I was blessed to officiate the wedding of a former youth group member from
a few churches ago. In my homily I said the following, “I want to keep my words today
few. Because words matter. They matter more than we could possibly know. Our words
are far more powerful than any of us recognize. The truth is, we do not take our words
seriously enough—so often we say one thing and do another. Our words can be used to
build up and to tear down, to heal and to destroy.” In Genesis, God creates the cosmos
with the power of speech. In an analogous way, our words create the world we inhabit
as well. What kind of world do you want to live in?
On Sunday, I had a note waiting for me written by a church member who shared how
my words from a recent sermon had hurt them. The note was written with such grace
and humility that my heart melted when I read it. I called the person and apologized.
The goal of all my sermons is to drive us into the arms of a gracious God, but
sometimes I fall short of that goal. This beautiful Covenant member had the courage to
share how what I said had hurt and did so with such grace that instead of being
defensive, I was able to receive the admonishment as it was intended—not as a
personal insult but as a reminder that our words can both build and tear down. Why not
use them to build? Whether we intend to or not, we all hurt each other with our words
and actions. I’m grateful to be a part of a community whose speech is gracious and
seasoned with salt.
In this tumultuous time of storms, elections, and on-going war, be gracious in your
speech, both to yourself and others. We are all trying our best, and the way back to
each other isn’t through invectives but through grace. Grace reminds us that we all
belong to each other, whether we know it or not.
This week I was blessed to officiate the wedding of a former youth group member from
a few churches ago. In my homily I said the following, “I want to keep my words today
few. Because words matter. They matter more than we could possibly know. Our words
are far more powerful than any of us recognize. The truth is, we do not take our words
seriously enough—so often we say one thing and do another. Our words can be used to
build up and to tear down, to heal and to destroy.” In Genesis, God creates the cosmos
with the power of speech. In an analogous way, our words create the world we inhabit
as well. What kind of world do you want to live in?
On Sunday, I had a note waiting for me written by a church member who shared how
my words from a recent sermon had hurt them. The note was written with such grace
and humility that my heart melted when I read it. I called the person and apologized.
The goal of all my sermons is to drive us into the arms of a gracious God, but
sometimes I fall short of that goal. This beautiful Covenant member had the courage to
share how what I said had hurt and did so with such grace that instead of being
defensive, I was able to receive the admonishment as it was intended—not as a
personal insult but as a reminder that our words can both build and tear down. Why not
use them to build? Whether we intend to or not, we all hurt each other with our words
and actions. I’m grateful to be a part of a community whose speech is gracious and
seasoned with salt.
In this tumultuous time of storms, elections, and on-going war, be gracious in your
speech, both to yourself and others. We are all trying our best, and the way back to
each other isn’t through invectives but through grace. Grace reminds us that we all
belong to each other, whether we know it or not.
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