If Necessary, Use Words

 

Today is a day of silence for me. Well, almost! I mean I have to speak to the Barista if I expect to have the coffee I would like! And, being present to the Big Issue seller, Monica, outside Tesco is an opportunity to hear how she is doing and what, if anything, she needs that I can get her from the store. But generally, this is a day with no deliberate audio interference from the radio, TV, laptop, podcasts, or music sources. It is an opportunity for me to listen, and to hear what the Holy Spirit might say to me. Or not. With, or without words, I can walk through this kind of day intentionally sensitive, quiet, and open to a shimmer of light, the whisper of a breeze, or any other way The Word may communicate to me, today. As I live alone, solitude and silence are easy to sustain and the more I “abide” in Christ, the less they are triggers of stress or fear. Quite the opposite!

I responded to a contribution to a Facebook page (Rethinking God with Tacos [!!]) post that read:

            ‘I’m curious…do you believe there’s a way to communicate Jesus’ love without “Christianese?”

Let me give some background…I’ve had more conversations with people about Jesus in bars during a season that I had the grace for it, and it was also a time when I was having supernatural experiences but didn’t understand reconciled union*. Now, I don’t have dreams and those types of experiences but I’m finally doing the head to heart drop regarding reconciled union and Gods love.’

(St Francis of Assisi - Getty images)

There were a number of excellent and, I am sure, helpful responses to this question. My own thought (not shared) was in the way of a memory of lines (almost certainly wrongly) attributed to St Francis: “Preach the gospel at all times. If necessary, use words.” Particularly, in a system of belief that is so very wordy (not looking at the Anglicans/ Episcopalians or anything!), it sounds a very pious, possibly priggish posture to adopt. After all, Paul makes the matter of preaching as one that is critical for the promulgation of the gospel: 'How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach good news!" But they have not all obeyed the gospel, For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" So, faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.' (Romans 10: 14-17 ESV) 

So, rather than smug, super-spiritual silence, some form of speaking may often be required! I do think that the questioner, above, was actually asking if there were ways to share our faith in plain English (or any other relevant language) rather than jargon-filled mouthwash most Christians seem to come out with. I agree it is mostly self-serving, condescending, alienating, exclusivist and tribal to blather Bible-speak at people. If we are fortunate enough to have folks around us who really are interested in what makes us tick and believe what we claim to believe, then being real and respectful is the least we can be in our language and attitudes. Steve McVey posted the following on Facebook:

 'The Bible teaches not to let corrupt words come from our mouths. Some grew up using bad language but, if you will trust the Spirit, you can find freedom from the religious jargon you're used to speaking. You don't have to used code words that only your sect understands. God will actually clean up your language and help you speak a truly spiritual language. It's the way Jesus talked - a way that attracted little children, vulgar sailors, immoral women and shunned lepers. It's a language that attracts everybody other than religious zealots who think the devout should only use a vocabulary that would suggest they must've swallowed every sacred text within reach. Being real and relatable. That is the grace walk experience.’

So, dealing with two issues: “bad” language and religious jargon, McVey alerts us to the simplicity of trusting the Holy Spirit to inspire our conversation. In Luke 12:11-12 we read “When they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not worry about how or what you are to speak in your defence, or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”

Paul, also, makes this clear: When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths. (1Cor.2:13 NLT)

While Jesus’ words were clearly in the context of a confrontational encounter, there is no doubt that we are inspired and supported by our Counsellor, the Holy Spirit in our verbal explanations! In 1 Peter 3:15 we read:

 If with heart and soul you’re doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you’re still better off. Don’t give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you’re living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They’ll end up realizing that they’re the ones who need a bath. It’s better to suffer for doing good, if that’s what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That’s what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others’ sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all—was put to death and then made alive—to bring us to God. (MSG)

That is about as straightforward as we could wish for!

There is another angle, though, which draws out the essence of who we are, rather than what we say, or do.

In the weekly Bible Study I attend, there is a dear, elderly widow with the most engaging smile and such a heart of care and love that it radiates from her. She is widely acknowledged as being so inspirational – and that before she says or does anything! She was concerned that she didn’t really do anything, as the key verse being discussed was 1 Peter 1:13 – “Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober [in spirit], fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (The facilitator of the meeting also quoted the KJV – “gird up the loins of your mind” just to add spice and humour to the debate!) All the group reassured her that her just being – living Jesus who is within her – was already “doing” a great deal.

Thinking about her later, I recalled some lines from Paul of a similar vein:

            “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are perishing…” (2 Cor.2: 14-15 NASB)

The more we are - living Christ in us, our hope of glory – the matter of what we say or do takes care of itself. Faith without works may well be dead, as James insists, but faith without just “words,” may often be the more convincing argument! Best of all, as we walk the talk, those around us are enabled to ascribe more credibility to our “Christian” claims.

Grace and peace, fellow Wayfarers. Go well.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

*Reconciled union has to do with our living in the knowledge and reassurance of the finished work of Jesus the Christ on the cross, who reconciled us to God, restored our union with the Trinity of Father, Son, and Mother Holy Spirit. We and God are One! “For in him [sic], we live and move and have our being. “In that day [that you receive the Helper/ Spirit] you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” (Jn. 14:20)