James 3:9-10
My dear friends, with our tongues we speak both praises and curses. We praise our Lord and Father, and we curse people who were created to be like God, and this isn't right.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Repurpose. That’s a word we hear a lot these days. In “green speak,” it means taking something that was once used for one thing, and “repurposing” it to use another way. I repurpose a lot! I cut up old clothing and use the fabric to make pillows or cushion covers. I made a laundry bag out of a denim jumper, and mittens for Timmy out of an old wool sweater. A beautiful vintage brown “bean pot” is now filled with fall silk flowers and gracing our mantel. I take old greeting cards and make new ones. I think you get the picture. I’m all about multi-purpose items and using old things in new ways.
But when it comes to our relationship with God, the only “repurposing” we need to be doing with our tongue is aligning how we use it with His purposes. As this scripture so clearly illustrates, we can’t have it both ways. We can’t praise God one minute, and curse others the next. The same tongue we use to speak of God’s love, grace and mercy cannot be used to spew hate, racism, discrimination, gossip, lies, and more. If we find ourselves doing this, we need to stop at once and ask God to forgive us and set us back on the right track.
This scripture speaks to a much bigger issue in our present-day culture. We have found it convenient to invoke our faith in all sorts of arenas. You see political candidates promote themselves as “Christian Conservatives,” and then act in ways that belie their Christian faith. You hear ministers talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and then loudly protest across the street from a funeral for someone who was openly gay – or at an abortion clinic – or threaten to burn a Koran. You hear Christians claim that natural disasters and human tragedies are “God’s punishment” for the choices made by those who endured them.
You hear people who talk about serving God in ministries large and small speak critically of those they serve – “Why can’t they get off welfare?” … “If they didn’t spend money on drugs, they wouldn’t need a handout.” … “Did you see what she was wearing? She shouldn’t qualify for this ministry!” and more. You see people of all ages attending church activities on Sunday and throughout the week and then treating others with condescension, criticism, and sometimes downright rudeness away from the church campus.
I know I am stepping on toes … and I sound like a broken record. But every day when I turn on the television or open the newspaper – or even login to Facebook – I see this time and again. And it saddens me greatly. But what I think or feel doesn’t matter … imagine how it saddens God! The people He sacrificed His only Son to save have “repurposed” His gift. Too many of us have taken their new life in Christ and fashioned it into something it was never meant to be. We’ve given it a purpose, alright … but not the one that God intended!
I pray that we will all take time today to search our hearts and ask some really serious questions. Find out where you have repurposed your salvation to fit your own agenda. Ask God to show you where you need to do a “restoration” job and return to the discipleship He designed for you. I know the changes won’t happen overnight, but it’s a start. With God, all things are possible, and God can remove our mistaken attitudes … our curses and wrong thinking. He can restore us to a faith walk that honors Him and blesses others. Will you ask Him to do this for you today?
©2010 Debbie Robus
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