Hi my dear
It’s Rosh Hashanah! The beginning of the Jewish new year. It is said that one aspect of the celebration involves appreciating and praising God for the blessing of Creation. According to the Creation narrative, God spoke the world into existence. There’s power, creative power, in the spoken word my dears; especially when we think about being blessed with God’s DNA
Consider today’s Holy Nougat
Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits. Proverbs 18:21 NRSV
If death and life are subject to what we say, what are we giving life to? And what are we canceling? Over our own lives, and others?
I dare to suggest that this may be understood in several ways – literally here on earth, from a spiritual parallel and from a spiritually cautionary perspective.
So one might think of the legal terminology (ie the Miranda warning) read before an arrest is made in the USA (at least in the movies) – you have the right to remain silent, anything you say may be used against you in a court of law. What comes from our mouths thereafter may be the difference between life and death for us! It would be beneficial for us to guard our speech. (As one whose flip tongue was quick at the draw … yeah!)
Additionally we might speak into someone’s life by the words we say. That can also be seen as literal. Words are powerful and can be a balm to someone’s soul or a force that destroys the spirit. We have the power to choose what OUR words should do – build or tear. The power of death and life are in the tongue.
Genesis 1 offers a good example of the spiritual parallel I mentioned. God spoke, it came to pass. Those who operated with the office of the prophet also exemplified such. ‘By this time tomorrow …’ prophet speaking end of famine; ‘Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous?’ … actually an angel encouraged Joshua after the death of Moses; or ‘This time next year your prayer will be answered’ … Eli to Hannah in the temple. And before you remind me of the number of centuries that have passed since those words had power consider this – were our words without spiritual power, prayer would be mere ritual an intercessory component.
The power of life and death reside in the tongue
There’s another spiritual aspect to be considered however, that of spiritual caution. ie an invitation to see the nougat as spiritual Miranda warning. So Jesus cautioned that use of derogatory language about or to others could actually influence the state of our own blessings from God. When we curse others, there is the potential for the curse to come back to us; when we bless others we also speak into our own lives – the choice is ours, we have freedom of speech!
So, if death and life are subject to what we say, what are we giving life to? And what are we canceling? Over our own lives, and others? May God help us guard our speech this weekend.
In Christ’s love and grace . . .
