Simplicity of speech involves aligning our words with Jesus' heart to bring blessings into the world.
Speaking like Jesus means manifesting his inner nature through our unique personalities and cultures.
Deep dives
The Power of Speech
Dr. Francis Collins, a renowned scientist and follower of Jesus, explains in his book 'The Language of God' how human beings, through genetic code, are like a living language. Our capacity for speech sets us apart from animals. Our highest highs and lowest lows often come from language. Jesus teaches about the relationship between speech and the heart, emphasizing that good and evil come from what is stored in the heart. Simplicity of speech is a practice rooted in the way of Jesus, involving an effort to align our speech with His heart.
Talking Like Jesus
Jesus exemplified the ability to speak with wisdom and emotional intelligence. His words had a profound impact because he knew how to meet people at their level of maturity. Jesus' speech was characterized by insight, authenticity, and timing. He had the ability to discern what each person needed to hear. Simplicity of speech involves developing the capacity to speak like Jesus, manifesting his inner nature through our unique personalities and cultures.
Not Talking Like Jesus
Jesus, in moments of controversy or when faced with traps, often chose silence. His silence displayed courage and trust in God. Refusing to be drawn into unnecessary disputes or controversies, Jesus demonstrated restraint and a deeper purpose. His quiet rebellion against political leaders showcased his commitment to the Father's will. Simplicity of speech also means exercising discernment in knowing when not to speak, emulating Jesus' example.
The Journey to Taming the Tongue
Controlling our speech is a challenging task. The tongue has the power to bring both blessing and cursing. James warns about the difficulty of taming the tongue, recognizing the automatic responses in our body that contribute to our speech patterns. However, with practice and dependence on God's grace, we can strive to align our speech with the teachings of Jesus. The practice of simplicity includes talking less and curating our conversations to reflect Jesus' heart.
“The mouth is the main thoroughfare of evil in human life.” – Dallas Willard
Simplicity of speech is a disciplined attempt to bring our speech into alignment with Jesus' heart. John Mark dives into what the New Testament’s author say about the power of the tongue and our words. Through it, he encourages us to simplify what we say in order to ultimately bring more blessing into the world.
Key Scripture Passages: Luke 6v43-45; Mark 12v13-17; Mark 15v1-5; James 3v1-12
This podcast and its episodes are paid for by The Circle, our community of monthly givers. Special thanks for today’s episode goes to: Aidan from Grand Rapids, Michigan; Sydney, Cody, and Violet from Bellingham, Washington; Mark from Cary, North Carolina; Jim and Deanna from Portland, Oregon; and Ruben from Euless, Texas. Thank you all so much!
If you’d like to pay it forward and contribute toward future resources, you can learn more at practicingtheway.org/give.
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