BREAKING DOWN OR BUILDING UP?

Words have tremendous power—power to harm or to heal. We can build bridges to God and man or barriers between us with our speech. It is possible to use our mouths to supply grace or to siphon it.  

This is true for all of us, but is particularly a concern for those who preach and teach God’s people. Hence, the warning of James, “Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.” (3:1)‬‬. 

This begins a powerful section in James’ epistle on the potential of our talk for good or evil. One who has authoritative communication and an audience to impact faces a more intense scrutiny of his speech. It is a sobering consideration. As the children’s song warns, “Be careful little lips what you say.”  Paul echoes that here, and we must ask does my talk as a pastor break down or build up?

The speech that breaks down is described as, “corrupting talk.”  Our lips can spread toxic talk that infects others with harm. There are at least three ways this occurs.

We may speak words of discussion that are filthy. Usually, these are private conversations. It is the use of innuendo around the opposite sex, and locker room talk around our fellow man. 

We might speak words of delusion that are false. Doctrinal error in the pew comes from deviants in the pulpit—the malignancy of heresy that threatens the church’s life. 

We can speak words of division that are fractious. Our words, rising from a bitter spirit, infused with anger, turn the preacher into a fire-breathing dragon with potential to burn the church down. 

Instead we must aim for the speech that builds up, “good for building up.”  Our sermons in public and speech in private are to be edifying.  Paul points to three needful qualities. 

Such talk is intentional, “but only such as is good for building up.”  It is a matter of choice. God has given us the power of His Spirit to equip us to excise corrupting speech and extend constructive words.

Such talk is instructional, “as fits the occasion.”  It is a matter of context. There are times when the context of a congregant’s conduct demands confrontation and at other times  consolation. The way we say something, when we say it, and why we say it can be as meaningful as what we say.

Such talk is incarnational, “that it may give grace to those who hear.”  This is a matter of content. Our messages are to be filled with grace. We can impart that from God’s Word because we have ingested it from it. Our lives as well as our lips witness to the incarnation of our communication. Our objective then is to be channels that bring grace to those who hear and heed our message, so it will become incarnate in them.

Will we speak words that break down or build up?  One day we will give answer to Christ, the Living Word, for the life or death from our tongue.