"With unbelievable words of love and support in my heart and mind, I have spent the past week feeling better than I have for years. Soft and gentle words spoken in love can and do work miracles in our lives."
An old, old story: The Middle Ages was a time of great discord in Jerusalem. At one point in time, the Holy City was controlled by Christians who appealed to the Pope in Rome to use his power to banish all Jews from Jerusalem. The Pope, a good and pious man, decided to go to Jerusalem to hold a kind of summit meeting with the Grand Rabbi, the highest Jewish authority. As with many confrontations between parties with different points of view, the meeting soon became a debate which would decide the fate of the Jews. If the Pope won, the Jews would have to leave the city. If the Grand Rabbi won, the Jews could stay.
They met in the center of Jerusalem. The two great men were seated in large chairs facing each other--the Pope surrounded by cardinals and bishops, the Grand Rabbi surrounded by advisors and councilors. Each side was allowed to set one condition of the debate. The Pope said that since neither could speak or understand the other's language, the debate should be done only by gestures and symbols, without any words being spoken. The Grand Rabbi stipulated that it should be done without an audience. So everyone left, leaving the two leaders facing each other.
The Pope began the debate by sweeping his hand in a grand arc. The Grand Rabbi responded by pointing at the floor.
The Pope then held up three fingers. The Rabbi responded by holding up one finger.
The Pope reached over to the sideboard and lifted a chalice of wine. The Grand Rabbi removed an apple from under his robes and held it up.
The Pope threw up his hand and cried, "That's enough! You've won! What a brilliant argument! Your theology is impeccable. Jews may remain in Jerusalem."
The doors were thrown open and everyone thronged into the hall. The Pope and Grand Rabbi were swept to opposite sides of the room. The cardinals rushed to the Pope and asked, "What happened? How did the Grand Rabbi win the argument?"
The Pope said, "He was magnificent. I said, by gesture, 'God is everywhere.' He said, by gesture, 'Yes, but God is right here, too.' I said, 'But God is here in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.' He said, 'Yes, but there is still only one God.'
"I held up the chalice of wine to say, 'But we Christians are saved by the blood of Jesus Christ.' He held up his apple to say, 'But, as with Adam, all of us have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God, thus we are all equal in the sight of God.' I admitted this was brilliant. He had won. I had nothing more to say."
Across the room the Grand Rabbi was being asked by his advisors, "What happened? How did you win?"
"I'm not sure," he responded. "The Pope said by gesture, 'All you Jews must leave Jerusalem.' I said, by my gesture, 'We're staying right here.' He said, 'You have three days to leave town.' I said, 'Not one Jew is leaving.' Then he stopped the debate and reached for some wine to have with his lunch. So I took out an apple I had been saving for my lunch and that's when he threw up his hands and declared that I had won."
What a difference a word or two can make in deciding the fate of some great issue, as this marvelous story illustrates so graphically. I suspect that we have all experienced the incredible possibilities of mis-communication when we don't speak what we really want to say or hear words as they were meant to be heard.
The opening sentence of our reading from the letter to the Hebrews makes an interesting and helpful statement about the power of words:
"The Word of God is living and active...it is sharp and piercing...and able to discern the thoughts and intentions of our hearts."
I think it goes without saying that this is true for God, but is it true for us as well? How do we use words to communicate? Are our words living and active, are they sharp and piercing, do they represent the truth, the intentions of our hearts?
Using God's word as a helpful guide, let's begin a brief explanation of how we use our own words. First, let's ask if our words are too sharp and piercing, cutting to the marrow of the bone, or are they alive and active and capable of healing? How many of us grew up with the childhood ditty,
"Sticks and stones may break my bones,
but words will never hurt me."
How wrong that is!
A few months ago, there was a series of ads on TV depicting a parent using strong and negative words while berating a child. The point of the advertisement was to demonstrate how easy it is to abuse our children with sharp words that pierce to the marrow of our being, often without even thinking about what we are doing or the long-term injury which results.
It was a sobering experience to watch these ads because it forced me to be more aware of what words I use and how I use them. Bad names and critical words do hurt and, indeed, they leave open wounds which are hard to heal. What I've learned is that most of us are well aware of our shortcomings and failings and we don't need sharply critical words to remind or blame us.
So I would like to encourage us to take a look at our sharp and piercing words and to communicate with words which heal rather than criticize...active and living words which encourage, enable, support and, above all, heal. I have experienced the power of these words throughout this week. After sharing with you my forthcoming journey through surgery next week, nearly everyone of you has spoken, called or written with incredibly healing words of support:
I'm sorry. I'm with you. You'll be okay. I care. What can I do to help? I love you. We're praying. I'm making my novena to St. Jude for you. You're going to be fine, Brad. And one note said, "Be assured there are hundreds of us storming the gates of heaven with our prayers for your recovery. Never fear!"
With these unbelievable words of love and support in my heart and mind, I have spent the past week feeling better than I have for years!
Soft and gentle words spoken in love can and do work miracles in our lives. Let's practice healing words with each other for a week and discover the power of life that a few words can bring when communicated in love.
God's word also encourages us to speak words which reflect the truth, the honest intentions of our hearts.
Theologian Martin Buber said that our religion and scriptures teach us what no other system or voice in the world can teach: that there is truth and there are lies, human life cannot have meaning, save with a decision to always speak with words of truth.
It is so easy and convenient to slide away from truth, hiding the true intent of our heart. With our words we are seduced into lying in order to sell products, flatter the powerful, appease an electorate, avoid conflict or rationalize our actions.
Adlai Stevenson once said, "Lying may be an abomination unto the Lord, but it is also a very present help in time of trouble!"
I watch, with most of our nation, the detailed reports of the O.J. Simpson trial and I hear the words which fly from one side of the courtroom to the other, wondering who's telling the truth. Indeed, I wonder if there is any truth available in this complex affair which is filled with loopholes, cover-ups and words which hide the true intent of the heart...words which intentionally deceive.
Perhaps one of the finest short commentaries on truth telling are these written by Walter Harrelson:
"When people twist language to serve their own needs, they pollute the very spring of human social existence. Language is the basis of culture, of human community. When language can no longer be trusted, when words do not express their normal currency, but are used for the purpose of deception, the whole community is in gravest danger."
That's a heavy and sobering statement and it needs to sit upon the refrigerator door for awhile to remind us of how important words of truth are when we communicate with each other. Let's not be like the Pope and the Grand Rabbi waving at and misunderstanding each other. Use words which support and heal...and always speak the true intentions of your heart.
Now I'll close, as always, with a story which helps to sum up much of what I'm saying about words which heal and words which tell the truth.
Sir Thomas More, an English saint of our church, stood up for truth against the deceit of his day. In the story of his life, The Man for All Seasons, there is a scene where Cardinal Wolsey visits More who is in prison condemned to die for his stand in life. They talk for awhile and finally, the Cardinal says to More:
"You are a constant regret to me, Thomas...you could have been a great statesman if you could just see the facts straight on without that terrible moral conviction of yours."
Later, Thomas More's family come to visit him in prison and ask him to compromise his stand for the truth. You see, they love him and don't want to see him die. More responds with these magnificent words:
"When a person makes a promise with his words, he puts himself into his own hands like water, and if he opens his fingers to let it out, he need not hope to find himself again."
Speaking words of truth may be the hardest thing we might do in life, but in the long run, it is also the most rewarding. Amen.
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