“Sticks
and stones my break my bones,
but
words can never hurt me.”
We’ve all heard the phrase before . . .
we’ve probably used it a time or two after being called a name in our
lifetimes. We probably told our children
the phrase when they came home crying after being called a name. One expert stated that the rhyme was used as
a defense against name-calling and verbal bullying with the intention of
increasing resiliency, avoiding physical retaliation, and remaining calm. If that is the case . . . well, I think it is
ineffective . . . that it is hogwash.
Yes, it is true that sticks and stones
can break our bones . . . that they hurt when hurled at us. But it is not true that words won’t
hurt. Words can hurt. Ask any person who has been bullied. Ask any person who was in an abusive
relationship. Ask any person who was
ever caught in a verbal assault. Words
can hurt as much as sticks and stones.
Jesus begins our reading tis morning
talking about words . . . words of judgment . . . nasty and mean words directed at others . . .
angry words. He proclaims that such
actions are no better than if a person murdered another person . . . the
intention is the same. He warns those
listening to avoid such behavior towards others, and if they have committed
such acts, then they should go and right the situation. In fact, what he tells them is to right the
relationship.
It is here in the preaching and teaching
that continues from the Beatitudes that Jesus shifts the emphasis from the
individual to him or herself to his or her relationship with others. He wants the listeners to move from what they
have heard to putting that learning into action. He calls for his followers to live daily in
what they believe . . . to love God . . . to love others as they have been
loved by God. Here, Jesus lets them know
that the way that they act and treat others reflects him. As such, this is the picture and
understanding of Jesus that they will walk away with. Remember, actions speak louder than words . .
. but, words also make an impact.
I’m not sure if there is anyone who
would argue with the statement I am about to make, but I need to say it for the
sake of naming the elephant in the room.
There are some “Christians” and “church bodies” that give the followers
of Jesus a bad name. For example, the
Westbro Baptist Church. Many of us know
this as the church that have picketed at funerals of those they proclaim go
against the teaching of Jesus. They
picket against those that they disagree with, those whose lifestyles are not
acceptable, those who do not walk the faith as they do, other religions . . .
and soldiers. Their picketing gets them
in the news as they hold up signs proclaiming that God hates this and
that. And, they call themselves
“Christians”. Such is the image of Jesus
that they reflect.
Is this the Jesus we follow?
As I said, not only are there “church
bodies” that give the followers of Jesus a bad name and reputation, there are
also “Christians”. Remember the PTL Club
ministered to by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker?
Remember how that ministry came crumbling down . . . how they were
accused of taking their faithful to the cleaners while they got rich and had
jet-set lives? And, they called
themselves “Christians”. Such is the
image of Jesus that others saw.
Is this the Jesus we follow?
Of course not. Yet, we cannot escape the reflection that is
seen through our actions—the way that we live our lives, the way that we treat
others, the words that we speak, and the actions of those who proclaim to be
“Christians” or followers of Jesus.
Remember, actions speak louder than words . . . sticks and stones do
hurt . . . and, words are no better when they are meant to hurt.
Jesus reminds us that our faith is not
an island unto ourselves. Our faith is
part of a community . . . it is expressed and lived in the presence of others
and for others. We are all connected as
the children of God . . . each and every one of us a son or daughter of God . .
. created in God’s image. It takes all
of us to be a community . . . all of us to be the Kingdom of God. Like a great big jigsaw puzzle it takes all
of us to see the big picture. Because of
this, Jesus wants us to know that how we relate to others is important. Do our words and actions build relationships
. . . or do they destroy relationships?
We are living in contentious times. We live in a world that favors and rewards
individualism, autonomy, and independence . . . every person for him or
herself. A world that puts nation above
nation, races against races, religions against religions . . . that divides and
separates . . . that looks the other way.
We live in times and in a world that anyone who does not believe as we
do, worship as we do, live as we do . . . anyone who is not with us; well,
then, they must be against us. If they
are against us then they must be the enemy to be vilified and demonized as evil
. . . they must be destroyed.
A day does not go by where we do not see
this on our televisions . . .
that we do not hear it on our radios . .
. that we do not read it in our papers.
A day does not go by where we do not experience in our own lives as we
witness others toss their sticks and stones and words at those they do not care
for. And, how many do such things while
proclaiming their faith? Is this not a
reflection of the Jesus they claim to follow?
Is this the Jesus the world sees?
Again, I ask, is this the Jesus we
follow?
Last week I quoted several who stated
that if the world is going to change it must begin with ourselves. If we love ourselves as God has loved us that
love equates into living a life that flings that love on to others. Our words as we speak to others . . . as we
speak about others . . . as we speak, reflect that love. Our words are never meant to hurt. Our actions towards others . . . how we treat
others . . . how we welcome others, reflect that love.
As we step out into the world as the
followers of Jesus we do so with the intention of building relationships with
others . . . of welcoming them into our lives for who they are—who God created
them to be. We do so with the intention
of building community . . . of embracing our common unity in the love of God .
. . of striving for what is best for all.
We do so with the intention of establishing God’s Kingdom . . . built on
relationships that emphasis mercy, justice, peace, inclusion, grace, and love .
. . all the things God desires of us. We
walk the walk that Jesus walked.
That is what we let the world see. We let the world see that we do not throw
sticks and stones, no we strive to embrace and welcome our fellow children of
God. We let the world see that we do not
use words as weapons to hurt, but to build relationships that express
acceptance and family. We let the world
see that we do not accept the tit-for-tat meanness that is thriving and
accepted because those who are leaders do so despite proclaiming themselves to
be “Christians”. We let the world see
that our words and actions are none other than the love God has showered upon
us and shown us through Jesus.
Yeah, sticks and stones break bones . .
. but as the followers of Jesus, we stand between those who are throwing them
and those that they are being thrown at.
Words do hurt . . . but as the followers of Jesus we again stand between
those who hurl them to hurt and those they are intended for. We stand as love. We stand as family. That’s what Jesus did . . . that is the Jesus
we know . . . that is the Jesus we follow and reflect. That is the Jesus we want the world to
know. Amen.
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