Photo by Aaron-Burden on Unsplash
Recent global events have caught my attention. The rhetoric has become increasingly hateful. In the past, the hate was masked by (even if thinly veiled) by nice words, but today, it is all in the open.
In other words, this is what I really think.
Here are a couple of examples:
“Trump is not the cause of what’s broken in this country. He’s the result of it. He’s the malignant virus that grew out of our social/political/intellectual wet market, and attacked the body politic with no remorse and no goal other than to take over the host and kill it.”
Ian Gurvitz, Author
“The US president launched a torrent of abuse at Iran’s supreme leader on his Truth Social platform on Friday…”
Al Jazeera news
“The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to ‘Daddy’ to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults.”
Iran’s foreign minister
Concerning the LA riots:
“For the president to do this when it wasn’t requested, breaking with generations of tradition, is only going to incite the situation and make things worse.”
New Jersey Senator Cory Booker.
These are powerful words with sharp talons meant to hurt.
The New Testament book of James (indirectly) addresses this in the fourth chapter
“Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves.
You lust for what you don’t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn’t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it.”
James 4:1-2 The Message
WOW! Talk about hitting the nail on the head. (a colloquialism for saying it accurately)
The apostle says these things happen because you want your own way.
Think about it, are the people saying these things working for or against each other?
Do they have another agenda, or are they on the same page?
Does it appear they want (whatever it is they want) badly enough to fight for it?
The sad reality is, yes, they are absolutely willing to fight for it.
But why?
The Apostle James explains why.
“They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves.”
The phrase deep within yourselves, gives us the answer, and Jesus gives us the reference.
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
Luke 6:45 New International Version
“The mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
In other words, your mouth reveals your heart, and when it is full of bitter, evil intent, a little agitation causes the mouth to spew it out, both good and bad.
Everyone gets angry and says things they regret once the anger passes. However, Jesus is talking about a heart filled with something, whether good or evil.
The Strong’s concordance defines the heart as:
“The center and seat of spiritual life, the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors.”
In other words, the inner part of your being where the soul resides. This is where words have the greatest impact on our lives.
The adversary, the devil, knows this and is masterful in using words to bind up our hearts and breed hatred towards God.
The evidence that he is successful is what spews out of our mouths when we are agitated.
James continues his thought on the matter by saying:
“And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.”
And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.”
So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the devil and watch him scamper.
Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field.”
James 4:5-8 The Message
This is where a close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is vital in the walk of a Christ-follower.
As you become close to Him, He reveals the areas of your heart that need cleansing and provides the cleansing power of His Word.
“To make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word.”
Ephesians 5:26 New Living Translation
The more you encounter God by desiring his presence and spending time with him, the more the Word of God speaks life into your heart, thereby cleansing it, which enables you to speak life-giving words.
The call of the Spirit is going out across the land for light bearers and (wisdom-speaking) truth givers to bring the words of life to a lost and dying world—one person at a time.
The journey is exciting and scary, and I am grateful to everyone willing to follow along as I take it.