Tonight, many of us will have our eyes and ears on the content of President Obama's State of the Union Address. In what seems the usual response, we have come to expect manipulative, bitter and angry words from other politicians and from the talking heads and various analysts on the news shows. While some politicians are mixing it up and sitting with each other as a show of civility, there will probably be the usual political posturing and shrewdly placed words meant to cause the most damage to the opposing party's agenda, maybe in very personal ways.
In the wake of the shootings in Tucson, a discussion about the effects of hateful and malicious political discourse has arose. Some are calling for the return of civility, at least in some measure, in our politics. Still, there are those who say un-civility, especially in our words, is useful, normal and there is nothing wrong with it.
Jesus had some interesting comments about our words. He taught us about what our words can do and how we are eternally accountable for what we say. He said our words have the power to kill. The hatred and lies contained in our words has the power to kill and maim. Certainly, we see this in our present day with the sad images from Moscow and many other places worldwide. The words of hate seem to be easily spoken by people of all faiths and nations. Words of hatred from the mouths of fundamentalist Muslim clerics are causing young people to destroy themselves and as many innocents as they can. Christian leaders are not so different, maybe the words not so obviously hateful. Whether a minaret or a pulpit, words of hatred, violence shrouded in speak is a problem. Not only our leaders but all peoples speak words full of violence. This my friends is wrong and like C.S Lewis say, we all know it is wrong. Deep inside we know, yet all ignore the call to speak peace and goodness. Jesus said that to hate is the same as murder. If our speech contains hateful words, they contain murder. We should need no social discourse on the wrongness. Our social discourse to rationalize words of hate and anger will not change the rightness or wrongness of it.
The problem is that, just like us, our words are broken. They don't hold what God intended for them to carry. Each of us, God says, is accountable for all the words, good and bad, that we speak during our lives.
The mission of our lives is to heal and restore that which is broken in this world. Our very words can be part of our work. We need God's help to do so but I very much want the fruit of my words to be life and peace rather than hate and death.
So, for all of us tonight, our words and what they are loaded with matter very much to this world, to our families and to all the people around us. Our words should be civil. They should contain peace and truth. Lord Jesus, help us heal and restore our words to what you created them to be. Let our words be full of peace, truth and goodness.
So, some lyrics I am working on:
Give our words freedom from all hate, all lies
Cleanse the murder from our lips.
War and death, our tongues should give you no home
All peoples, you know this is right
O peace, fill our words
Peace, fill our world
Broken words
Be restored
Brokenness, be healed
Be words of peace and truth