Words communicate what’s really going on.

Our Kindergarteners tell us the truth. I might ask them what we have been studying about God, and they will answer truthfully with the things that are on their hearts.

“I went to a birthday party yesterday.”

“I lost a tooth.”

“Can I have water?”

A friend was in a panic in early summer. When we arrived at her home, she was frantically trying to find someone to substitute for her as a volunteer summer substitute in Bible school. “When I volunteered, I didn’t think they’d actually call,” she explained.

She wanted the appearance of service but in reality did not want to help.

Another friend told his wife he would help with the house and dinner when people came over for the evening, but then he just sat in his chair trying to relax although he had just said he would help her. Even though he had given his word, he sat reading a book, talking to a guest, relaxing and she was left to do it all herself.

The words spoken at a wedding are momentous. The bride and groom say things to each other in the sight of witnesses, before God, before a pastor, before family and friends. These moments, these words, are for the ages. It’s not the same as just saying the words of love to each other and then moving in together.

The words we say matter a great deal. We are married with words. We live by our words, or we live in war against them.

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Col. 4:5-6)

We find ourselves so easily distracted from words of faith, drawn to other longings or attractions or dreams. Ah, how we justify the attractions to idols of other loves, the success in the lyrical measures and praise of other people. It can be a siren song.

But how can we not speak of the light within us? How can we speak anything other than the wonder of Christ, our husband, shepherd, rescuer, innkeeper, brother, father, advocate. How can the words of Christ not steer the rudder and point our boats toward heaven?

It’s true we cannot just bring Jesus into any random conversation. We must be sensitive and circumspect, but we can talk ourselves out of uttering the most precious name of all at times when this name might be the beginning of something lifechanging.

God’s goodness shines. When it is opposed, the light doesn’t go out; it gets brighter. This is the reality that we are always forgetting. People can oppress us, but they cannot eliminate us even if they kill us. The light of the gospel lives in us. We must cultivate speaking its truths, living its love toward others, hearing the Spirit and the word, communicating the Word in our words and deeds.

Before anything there was word, there was voice. Things did not come into being until God spoke. The action of creation was consonant with the one who spoke it to life. Word even before creation.

The words we speak matter. We cannot trust our tongues, yet we cannot live as mute people, fearful of the words we speak. We have to find voice. God gave us the ability to speak for a reason.

But what do we say?

The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. (Romans 10:8-10)

In persecuted lands, a person has only to say that they repent of their repenting, that they no longer know Jesus, and the beating or arrest or death will be assuaged. People are given good jobs, high status in community, kept safely in the care of family. Just say the word.

We speak, but so does God. And perhaps we also face our own ridicule or embarrassment at giving voice to the One who changes everything and pursues us like a hunter its prey, a detective his criminal, a shepherd his wayward sheep, a groom his bride.

It is worth the price. Do we believe? Do we act on our beliefs? Do we use words?

But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof, but only say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. And I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this, he marveled and said to those who followed him, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” And to the centurion Jesus said, “Go; let it be done for you as you have believed.” And the servant was healed at that very moment. (Matthew 8: 8-13)

Centurions all, may our words today find voice and refuge in Jesus.