Language is powerful.

And Language matters. 

The words that we use are seldom, if ever, value-neutral. 

In my academic life, I did quite a bit of work in social-semiotics––

that is, in the interplay of language and culture. 

I was forever reminding students… 

that the meaning of a word does not come from the word itself… 

but from the culture of the speaker and the hearer. 

Thus, cultural changes can significantly alter language usage… 

and the meaning of words. 

A few generations ago, we would have thought nothing of describing ourselves as “gay”. 

But that particular word has a quite specific meaning today. 

When I read the sermons of Martin Luther King jr… 

now… 

I cringe at his frequent use of the word, “Negro”. 

You just don’t use that word today!

Certainly not as a white person. 

A couple of generations or so ago, it was common practice to use the words “man” and “mankind” in a generic sense… 

as including both men and women. 

Such usage is no longer acceptable today.

It’s viewed by many–– 

especially by those of my generation and younger–– 

as offensive. 

And for good reason. 

The generic use of masculine words implicitly–– 

or not so implicitly–– 

both reflected and perpetuated patterns of patriarchy. 

It had the effect of rendering women invisible, insignificant, and inferior.

The same goes for the use of personal pronouns today.

What pronouns we use when we address someone who is transgender––

or who identifies as non-binary––

matters.

And matters very deeply.

It either reinforces their self-image and self-worth…

or it continues to undermine it.

In the same way, if we call a child worthless or stupid–– 

and we do it repeatedly–– 

then that will shape and define that child.

Language shapes both our understanding of reality…

and our understanding of ourselves. 

 

Language is powerful.

And language matters.

We all know the ability of language to communicate great ideas.

We all know the power of language to inspire and motivate.

But we also know how limiting language can be…

and how problematic it can be.

In our everyday lives…

the things that come out of our mouths–– 

don’t always match the intention of our hearts.

They don’t always live up to the sentiments that they are meant to express.

So often, opening our mouths simply gets us into trouble.

A moment’s verbal indiscretion can end a promising career…

ruin a reputation…

destroy a relationship…

or land you in court or even in gaol.

If we’re honest… 

most of us have experiences of opening our mouths and not engaging our brains.

At some time or another…

most of us open our mouths simply to change feet.

 

The author of the book of James seems to recognise that too…

“All of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle”.

All of us make mistakes in speaking.

At some point, all of us get tongue-tied…

or suffer from foot-in-mouth disease…

or make small verbal indiscretions.

It’s part of who we are as human beings.

It’s inevitable, given the uniqueness and the complexity of each person…

and the fragility of each human interaction.

And yet…

that’s not what the author is concerned about in our reading this morning.

He’s not speaking here about verbal mistakes…

or indiscretions… 

or slip-ups… 

or misunderstandings. 

Rather, his concern is with something much more insidious:

“No one can tame the tongue—a restless evil, full of deadly poison”.

His concern, here, is with language that is intentionally malicious.

His concern is with language that seeks to harm;

to pull down;

to damage and destroy.

And we hear enough of that, don’t we?

I mean, turn on a talk-back radio station…

or read what people write in the comments sections of online newspaper articles…

and you’ll encounter an outpouring of anger, spite, and ignorant bigotry…

in all of its technicolour ugliness.

 

But it’s not just ‘other people’ who do such things. 

We do it too, don’t we?

All of us use language to hurt or to harm on occasion––

sometimes in subtle ways.

We’ll throw out a one-liner or a sarcastic put down––

perhaps in an effort to be funny;

or attempt to attract attention…

to make us look good… 

and to bolster a weak self-image.

And yet… 

if you really think about it, so much of our humour is at someone’s expense:

poking fun at someone’s misfortune;

ridiculing the way that they look, or act, or speak.

At some point or other, most of us have probably told a joke at someone else’s expense:

an Irish joke…

an “Abo” joke

a blonde joke…

or a sexist joke.

But the problem is, they’re not harmless. 

They’re actually quite insidious.

Not only do they betray latent prejudices…

they also reinforce latent prejudices.

Because language matters…

and language is powerful.

And our choice of language is never neutral––

nor are its consequences.

 

But we also use language to hurt and to harm when we denigrate people in front of others;

or when we engage in gossip…

or peddle rumours behind their backs––

whether we do it to make ourselves feel important or powerful…

to pull people down…

or simply to get back at them.

We use language to criticise and condemn;

to belittle or brow-beat;

to deceive or destroy;

to intimidate or inflict grievous wounds. 

We use language to block and spoil and control;

to prevent things from changing;

to stop people from questioning or growing;

to impose our particular agendas or beliefs onto others.

We use language to limit people’s perception of what is possible;

to gaslight them into questioning their reality;

to destroy their hopes and dreams;

to limit their freedom;

to deny their humanity.

As the author of James points out, with our tongues…

“We bless the Lord and Father, and…we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.”

And he’s right, isn’t he?

There’s a fundamental inconsistency.

How can we praise God, while pulling each other down?

How can we claim to speak in God’s name, while we are calling each other names?

 

Language is powerful.

And language matters.

It can inspire and build up.

But it can also convey such ugliness and spite;

and it can denigrate, deflate, and destroy.

And it doesn’t just happen ‘out there’.

It also happens in the church––

it happens in this Church.

So as people of God…

and as followers of Jesus Christ… 

it’s important to recognise that our language matters…

and that our language is powerful…

and it can be dangerous;

that, sometimes, we say things to hurt and to harm… 

rather than to heal.

 

Language is powerful.

And language matters.

And maybe, sometimes, words are simply inadequate.

After all…

when God wanted to speak decisively to us…

we’re told, by the author of John’s Gospel, that…

“the Word became flesh”.

When God really wanted to communicate with us…

it was through the incarnation––

the enfleshment–– 

of language.

And maybe, sometimes, we just need to shut our mouths and still our tongues…

and speak through who we are…

and through what we do…

and, thereby, speak louder than words.