18 Jun Minding our Speech

18 June 2023

International day for countering Hate speech

MINDING OUR SPEECH

Ephesians 4:17-32, James 3:6-12

Nowadays, the development of technology helps people connect beyond boundaries. It is much easier and faster to deliver a message and receive information through internet networking. While we enjoy the convenience of connecting people far and wide, we also tend to forget how precious it is to be connected.

Do you recall the days without an internet network? I remember when I was in primary school, one of my friends was moving as she transferred to another school. We were so worried that our friendship would end at that moment as we felt disconnected even though we were in the same city. We treasure every letter we wrote, and the call we made for it is not affordable for a child. One may surprise simply by receiving a fancy greeting card. Every communication would purely contain love and care.

Due to the new communication technologies, the scale of connectedness is expanding. It is not only about the conversation between two people but also inside

a community network. We can share things that we want to share and comment on others simply by tapping keys on our keyboards. We quickly get lost in the flood of information and freely share our viewpoints. Even a simple emoji can communicate our intention. However, such freedom of speech could lead us to neglect the principles of living and the importance of respect.

Today’s scripture is about the instruction for Christian living. At the beginning of Ephesians 4, Paul urges us to live a life that is worthy of the calling we have received from God. We are not simply a community that enjoys the grace that Christ brought to us through his cross. We need to keep renewing ourselves in God’s will by putting off our old selves and not conforming to the world to build up the body of Christ until we all reach unity in the faith. In verse 29, Paul reminds, “let no corrupt communication proceed out of our mouth, but which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (KJV). James 3:6 also mentions that the tongue is a world of evil among the parts of the body. Blessing and cursing should not come out of the same mouth, for we are all made in God’s likeness. (James 3:9) We need to perfect ourselves to speak according to the word of God, which is truth and full of love that benefits the listeners. We need to make it a daily practice to seek the presence of the Holy Spirit to help us be sensitive to evils and temptation and get rid of every form of malice.

In the midst of the ongoing flood of information and connectedness, it is necessary for us to guard our speech and fill it with the love of God so that we may eradicate hate speech and form a language of love.

prayer

Dear God, we give thanks for enabling us to live in an era where technology makes communication convenient. Help us that through every word we speak and type, we spread truth and love. Teach us to love and forgive one another just as you have forgiven us. May our lives show your righteousness to those around us. Amen!

for further thought

What should we do to form a love language?

Doris Wong

Hong Kong Council of the Church of Christ in China