You never know where your words will go or what others will hear. Never!
Sometimes our words get carried elsewhere…beyond our knowledge.
Sometimes our words are misunderstood and misinterpreted. We can be easily misquoted.
Sometimes our words are thrown back into our faces again. And sometimes, again and again and again…
Sometimes our words can cause separation and become divisive.
Sometimes our words can bring peace, healing and solace.
Sometimes our words can get you nailed to a cross, where you are left alone to die. Naked…abandoned…forsaken.
Our words can be very freeing. And at the same time, our words can be very imprisoning. We can easily become tied to our words.
People do not forget our words very easily.
Sometimes our words are dealt with in a court of law!
It is interesting to me that the three world religions that have “the highest incidence of conflict” and war are the three “religions of the book.” Judaism, Christianity and Islam have “the dubious distinction” of having fought the most amongst themselves and with others.
It makes sense when you think of it…all three are “people of the book.” All three are tied to words. All three are tied to various interpretations of those words…
And what are the fights over?
Words? (of course!)
Misunderstandings…Interpretations…
Holding fast to the belief that our interpretation, our understanding is “the only correct one…” All other interpretations or understandings are simply wrong.
We are right, everyone else is wrong…
It is the old, “us against them.”
Families become divided. Neighbors become separated. Nations become fragmentary and split.
Some things (just so you know) are impossible to put into words. They defy being captured in language. Words simply cannot contain all thoughts and all images…or convey them accurately.
It has been said before that even “the most eloquent and reasoned statement of belief” is immediately vulnerable and prone to misunderstanding and to conflict. Even the most eloquent!
Did you know that the average adult says somewhere around 16,000 words a day…do you think there is the possibility there for misunderstanding? Or perhaps conflict coming from any of those words?
How will you use your 16,000 words tomorrow, to bring hope and to scatter the darkness, or to cause negativity and to bring harm?
A British Philosopher, Owen Barfield says, the main problem with the religions of the book is that “Literalism has become a kind or form of idolatry.”
Here we are at the height of BBQ season and we get a text about eating Jesus’ flesh and blood. Nice!
For the record, and the record is important, this text and others like it, have been at the center of misunderstanding – as people have faithfully tried to understand – “just what they are chewing on and sipping on” at the Eucharist…in communion.
Talk about your in-house fighting! We have 2,000 years of in-house-fighting! It is incredible/unbelievable! And yet, it is all very real. No wonder we fight with others, we get sick and tired of fighting within…with ourselves.
Suffice it to say, that this text has caused much misunderstanding and much hurt.
Does anyone really think that Jesus said these words as literal, actual, substantial and as factual words?
“Eat my flesh and drink my blood?”
Was he serious?
And yet, people have fought and died over these words. How silly we are!
What’s wrong with us?
Does anyone really believe that Jesus wanted someone to devour his flesh or tap an artery for a drink?
And so, the Jews took great offense at his words…because they were understanding and interpreting his words – to be quite literal.
It was missing the boat completely. Sometimes we are taken at our word, sometimes we are not.
Be careful what you say, because once those words escape your lips, they can go everywhere and anywhere. And God himself only knows how they will be interpreted and received!
A Word to the wise: Watch your words.