I wrote hundreds of words in the public domain practically every day for 26 years as a newspaper reporter/editor.
I’ve talked on the radio for two or three hours every weekday morning for the past 11 years.
I recently decided to jump back into writing for publication with this Substack.
Maybe it is because of the sheer volume of my words – combined with an awareness of how flawed I am – that I am consistently concerned about what I say and how I say it.
There are numerous verses in scripture that talk about our speech. We’ll anchor this one and then go from there:
but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. (James 3:8-10)
Christians have never had a bigger platform. It isn’t just pastors whose Sunday sermons can spread across the internet. It is me and you. We have thousands of social media friends. We can post something and it can be seen on hundreds of timelines within a few minutes. Or, if we don’t want to say something ourselves, we can amplify someone else’s speech by sharing his or her post.
With such a large platform, we should ask ourselves if what we are saying and how we are saying it is compatible with what Scripture teaches. I’ll be the first to admit I don’t always hit the mark.
It is comforting to know that God knows we don’t always hit the mark. Earlier in James 3, James notes “we all stumble in many ways” (Verse 2).
But is there a pattern to our speech that identifies us as either someone working to comply with God’s command about our speech or as someone determined to go our own way?
I’m afraid we’re becoming the latter a lot more than the former.
We have lots of guidance, but little follow-through.
James tells us to be slow to speak. Proverbs tells us to not use many words and not to be rash with our speech.
Christians have a knack for saying the right thing the wrong way. And of course sometimes we say the wrong thing the wrong way.
I could go on and on, but Scripture tells us what should characterize our speech. Here are just a few descriptors:
Not corrupting (Eph. 4:29)
Not careless (Matthew 12:36)
Not grumbling (Phil. 2:14)
Not arrogant (1 Samuel 2:3)
Gracious (Col. 4:6, Prov. 16:24)
Guarded (Psalm 141:3, Prov. 13:3)
Rare (Prov. 10:19, Prov. 16:23)
Gentle (Prov. 15:4, 1 Peter 3:15)
Bridled (James 1:26)
Soft (Prov. 15:1 Prov. 25:15)
Restrained (Prov. 17:27)
Healing (Prov. 12:18)
Sound (Titus 2:8)
Truthful (Eph. 4:15, 1 Peter 3:10, Prov. 6:16-19, Eph. 4:25)
Reverent (2 Tim. 2:16)
Respectful (1 Peter 3:15)
Pure (Col. 3:8)
In season (Prov. 15:23)
Correcting (Matt. 18:15)
Does this characterize your speech? Does this characterize the speech of Christians you see online or in person?
Wasting Our Platform
We aspire to the hottest of takes. The greater the insult or cutdown, the more we applaud and/or laugh (or like, retweet, share). And we amplify wildly inaccurate information on social media because we agree with the sentiment, which is more important to us than whether it is accurate.
Yes, Scripture tells us and shows us there is a time to be forceful in speech. There is a time for verbal righteous indignation. There is a time to name names. Scripture also shows us that those times are rare. We have reversed that. We are often shrill and rarely gentle in our speech. This should not be.
We can and should do better. When we see others violating clear Scriptural truths, we are laser-focused. Not so much when it is ourselves.
Let’s Do Better
Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:6)
I Definitely identify with this. Thanks for posting this. I fall short on the regular. 100 percent focused on what I say. I'm glad God offers me mercy when I fail. I just honestly want to do better.
Spot on for me today, Lance. Thanks brother!