Mtr Kelli Joyce

1 I said, "I will keep watch upon my ways, *
so that I do not offend with my tongue.
2 I will put a muzzle on my mouth *
while the wicked are in my presence."
3 So I held my tongue and said nothing; *
I refrained from rash words;
but my pain became unbearable.
4 My heart was hot within me;
while I pondered, the fire burst into flame; *
I spoke out with my tongue.

Dear Friends in Christ,

I'm sure none of us have ever had an experience like the one the psalmist recounts at the beginning of Psalm 39. I, of course, always have perfect control over my words and my tone, and never, ever say anything that I regret.

...or maybe not.

The truth is, keeping our words holy is one of the most difficult tasks we have as Christians. It's so easy to slip into criticism, gossip, bragging, dishonesty, self-serving flattery, complaint, and cruelty. And while occasional and intentional times of silence are good for the soul, I don't think refraining from speech is a healthy or viable solution to the problem. It's as the psalmist describes: "I refrained from rash words; but my pain became unbearable. ... the fire burst into flame; I spoke out with my tongue." James reflects on this in the third chapter of his Epistle. "With [the tongue] we bless the Lord and Father, and with it 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."

If we can't say anything kind, it's surely better to say nothing at all. But I believe that the better path is for us to develop the habit of being prayerful and thoughtful about our speech, and using its power for the sake of love and truth and righteousness. When deciding whether to speak and what to say, ask simple questions like "would Jesus be pleased to hear me say this?" and "will this improve the situation?" and "does what I'm about to say risk hurting someone?"

In a time when we are not able to by physically present together in the ways to which we're accustomed, our words weigh more than ever - let's use them as God wills, for our good and the good of others.

In peace,
Mtr Kelli