Today we are looking at James’ instructions about our words. Every time we open a book we read words and every time we open our mouths we speak words. Women speak 3 times more words a day than men, so an American study found. God uses words and that is one reason why we should give attention to our words. Words have dignity because God uses words.
It was through words that God began the whole work of creation. “And God said, ‘Let there be light.’’’
He used words when he spoke to Adam about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
It was words that Adam and Eve heard as they were banished from the Garden of Eden after they disobeyed. So as we read through the Bible God is speaking and using words.
The 10 commandments were ‘10 words’ spoken by God to Moses and the people of Israel on Mt. Sinai.
In Psalm 95 the writer exhorts us to listen to God’s voice when we gather together. We are not to be like the people of Israel who hardened their hearts and did not enter God’s rest.
In the New Testament book of Hebrews the writer uses the same words to his readers warning them to listen to God’s words.
Over the past weeks we read of James telling his readers that they should not merely listen to the word and so deceive themselves. We are to do what it says. This is a challenge to all of us as often we do not think very much about what we say or how we say it. Today and every day will be a challenge as we think about words.
Jesus is our great example. In John 12:49 he says these remarkable words: ‘For I did not speak of my own accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.’
Jesus repeats what the Father has said and he evens gets the intonation right; “even how to say it.”
Our daily prayer in respect of words may well be, ‘May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight O Lord, my Rock and my redeemer.’ Psalm 19:14.