From the Same Mouth - a children's message for Sept. 16, 2012

A Children’s Message for 9-16-2012

Offered by Nathan Ferrell for Trinity Episcopal Shared Ministry

Texts:             James 3:1-12; Psalm 19; Mark 8:27-38

Themes:        the power of the tongue, our words, the words of Jesus

Title:               From the same mouth

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord my strength and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14). Amen.

I’d like to invite all of the children to come in close and to sit here around me, while all of the adults will please be seated.

A dangerous wildfire! OR a spring of refreshing water! Which one is your mouth like?

My dear friends: today let’s talk together about our words! Let’s talk about the power of words, and about how we talk to one another. Words are very powerful and we need to be very careful about how we use them.

So I’ll start with this question:

What do you think are the most powerful words that we can say to one another? What phrase do you think it is that people most like to hear?

Well, it has been said that a few years ago, a research company conducted a survey and asked a bunch of Americans this question (though I have not been able to find this survey anywhere on-line!) and the answers received were these: 

1. “I love you.”
2. “I forgive you.”
3.  “Dinner is ready.”

Do you know what I think would be a close fourth-place finisher? “Welcome home.”

Let’s try a simple little experiment.

Please close your eyes for a moment. Picture your best friend in your imagination, or perhaps your mom or your dad or your spouse or partner. Now imagine that person turning to you and saying these words, “I hate you!”

Ouch. That hurts doesn’t it! Even though it’s not real! Sorry about that. Now, close your eyes again and imagine that same person once more and imagine them turning toward you again and saying these words, “I love you!”

Wow! Doesn’t that feel so much better? Even when we simply imagine them, words have tremendous power over us.

One more little experiment: I want you to turn to the person next to you and look them in the eye and say (like you mean it), “Welcome home!” Go ahead, say it to each other.

Did you feel it? Did you notice how those words made you feel?

Words are very powerful. Speaking words is like swinging a hammer.  

I can use my hammer here to do lots of good things – to build and fix things.

OR I can use the hammer to do a lot of damage - to destroy and break things.

Words are tools just like this hammer.

One of the clearest ways that we can tell if people have been transformed by the love of God is by the words that come out of their mouths.

People talk a lot about faith, about believing in God.

That’s good, I suppose. But, to be honest, I’m not sure what that even means most of the time.

Now if this means that you have the idea in your mind that God exists, that Jesus lived and died and rose again, and if you support these ideas, then I have to say – honestly – that I don’t think God is very interested in that at all.

Far more than believing in God in that way, far more than saying a few prayers every day, far more than even attending church and receiving communion on a regular basis – do you know what it is that God is far more interested in?

The words that come out of your mouth!

What did we hear today from the Letter of James? “With our mouths we bless the Lord and Father, and with [our mouths] 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” (James 3:9-10).

 That’s just one part. You can find references to this emphasis upon the importance of words everywhere in today’s lessons. Look at the Psalm:

“Let the words of my mouth be acceptable in your sight…”

And what about the Gospel reading? What did Jesus ask his disciples?

“Who do people say that I am? Who do you say that I am?”

And then at the end, he added a warning for “those who are ashamed of me and of my words…”

God seems very interested in words, in what comes out of our mouths, and in how those words are used – to do good or to harm.

Our lesson from James ends with a bunch of questions from the world of nature to prove the author’s point:

Can the same spring give you fresh water AND salt water at the same time?

Can a fig tree produce olives? Can an apple tree produce oranges?

It is all about consistency. 

In a redeemed life, in a heart changed with the love of God, there is a natural consistency.

The source is always the same. It’s not clean water and dirty water mixed together.

It’s only the clean water of God!

BUT … there is a catch!

Hear me, please. The last thing that I want to ask you to do today is to try a little harder. Just try a bit more to be kind with your words. That would not be a bad thing, of course, but that is not what this life in Christ is all about!

Consider: if you are an olive tree, can you simply try a bit harder and then produce some figs?

If I am a human being, can I just try a bit more and then fly like a bird?

No, of course not. We are who we are. This tree is what it is. Salt water cannot just apply a bit more effort and become fresh water! That is not how life works. 

The oak tree cannot change itself into a maple! But it can be changed by another.

Salt water cannot change itself into fresh water. But it can be changed by someone else.

Hey kids: I have something for you to help you remember our talk today.

Can a spring give you fresh water and salt water at the same time?

No! If it has any salt in it at all, then it’s no longer fresh water! It’s salt water.

So, in the same way, you cannot just try a little harder to be more careful with your words.

You need to let GOD change you on the inside, and then the words that come out of your mouth will naturally, normally be different!

Salt water cannot yield fresh water. But…it can yield salt water taffy! And I have some here to give out to all of you.

Who wants some? Good! But first, I want you to pray with me – and repeat these words after me. Everyone! Can you do that?

Lord Jesus: by your grace, change us to be springs of fresh, clean water to be a blessing to all people. Thank you for teaching us. We love you. Amen.