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James 3:2 And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. They say that 'communication is the essence of being human'. The truth of this statement is reflected in the fact that like a garden, communication allows for the growth of both good and evil, an attribute that also pertains to our humanity. That is why the way we communicate with each other is very important to God. He who created us demands that we perform quickly not only our vows, but according to all that proceeds out of our mouth (Numbers 30:2). Solomon, the wisest man in the world wrote many proverbs about the benefits and the pitfalls of speech (Proverbs 12:18), and Yeshua, the One wiser than Solomon, told us that we should mean exactly what we say (Matthew 5:37) which means that in essence, we shouldn't use the sarcasm, exaggerations, understatements, or double-speak which all political and commercial advertisements are guilty of. Furthermore, James, the brother of the Master teaches us that one's ability to yield to God is tested by his ability to hold his tongue in subjection to the Spirit of God (James 3:2), and Paul, Yeshua's emissary, teaches that our speech should be 'seasoned with salt, meaning 'gracious' and able to turn the bitter of tasteless into flavor (Colossians 4:6). The apostolic texts tell us quite a bit about the attributes that should be witnessed in the lives of the people allowed to lead (either teaching or worship) in the Congregations of the Master, and honorable and truthful speech seems to be at the top of list. This means no mocking, demeaning, disrespecting, and certainly no use of foul language. It is also the opinion of this writer that these attributes and habits should be an integral part of the private life of any person in a place of spiritual responsibility in the congregations. If their speech is contemptible in private and nice in public, they are just a fake, a sham, and no better than a regular con-man, one who pretends to be something he is not, which is also the definition of a hypocrite; and we know what the Master felt about those! Here is a story to illustrate the point between private and public life. A British soldier was one night caught creeping stealthily back to his quarters from the nearby woods. He was taken before his commanding officer & charged with holding communications with the enemy. The man pleaded that he had gone into the woods to pray by himself. That was his only defense. "Have you been in the habit of spending hours in private prayer?" the officer growled. "Yes, Sir!" "Then down on your knees & pray now!" he roared. "You never needed it so much." Expecting immediate death, the soldier knelt & poured out his soul in prayer, that for eloquence could have been inspired only by the power of the Spirit of God. "You may go," said the officer simply when he had finished. "I believe your story. If you hadn't been often at drill, you couldn't have done so well at review."
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