Encouraging Love: Encouraging Positive Talk James 4:11-12

Encouraging Love:  Encouraging Positive Talk         James 4:11-12(NLT)

o  In one of Aesop's Fables he tells of the story of four bulls who were great friends.  They went everywhere together, fed together, and lay down to rest together, always keeping so close to each other that if any danger were near they could all face it at once.

o  Now there was a lion which had determined to have them, but he could never get at them individually.  He was a match for any one of them alone, but not all four at once. 

o  However, he used to watch for his opportunity, and when one lagged the least bit behind the others as they grazed, he would slink up and whisper that the other bulls had been saying unkind things about him. 

o  The lion did this so often that at last the four friends became uneasy.  Each bull thought the other three were plotting against him. 

o  Finally, as there was no trust among them, they went off by themselves, their friendship broken.

o  This was what the lion wanted.  One by one he killed them, and made four good meals.

o  Anytime we speak against someone we are doing the lion's dirty work for him.

o  Not only are we hurting our neighbour, but we are hurting ourselves by putting on negative and judgemental attitudes.

o  James warned his readers about this very thing, and gave them one simple instruction about speaking against our neighbours: "Stop it!"

o  In James' mind any form of speaking against another person is insulting and rude and not acceptable behaviour for a Christian (or anyone else for that matter).

o  The reason James gives his readers is that not only when someone speaks against their neighbour are they judging their neighbour, but they are judging God's law.

o  Lev. 19:18 says, "You shall love your neighbour as you love yourself."

o  So when we say something negative about someone we are taking on the role of judge and lawgiver and placing ourselves above God's law and this one of the two laws which Jesus said was the greatest commandment.

o  That's not the worst part, the worst part is when we judge God's law we are actually saying we know better than God.  We don't like to come right out and say that kind of thing, but actions speak louder than words. 

o  Every time we disobey God's laws our actions say to God, "God, that may be what you say is best for me, but, God, I think I know better, so I'll do what I want. Thank you very much."

o  I don't know about you, but suddenly I'm awfully aware of my own bent toward sin.

o  What are some of the ways we speak against someone?

o  1 Peter 2:1 says, "So get rid of all evil behaviour. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech"(NLT).

o  Deceit, hypocrisy, and jealousy are clear motives for saying unkind things about others.

o  What do we mean by deceit? Deceit is dishonesty, "a habit of trying to mislead others by covering up or twisting the truth" (CGC Dictionary).

o  What's hypocrisy? In ancient times, theatre actors were called hypocrites.  They wore masks, pretending to be someone they weren't, just as actors pretend to be someone else today.  A hypocrite is someone who pretends to be something they are not by putting on a false appearance.

o  What about jealousy?  The motive of jealousy can refer to two things:  (1) You are afraid that someone is after the one you love or that the one you love is in love with someone else; and (2) envy, envy is wanting what someone else has, and since the tenth commandment is, "you shall not covet," let's be reminded that coveting is envy.

o  Paul also makes mention of ways we speak unkindly.  2 Corinthians 12:20 says, "For I am afraid that when I come I won’t like what I find, and you won’t like my response. I am afraid that I will find quarrelling, jealousy, anger, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorderly behaviour."

o  Paul mentions two things in this verse that I want to highlight, gossip and arrogance.

o  Gossip, the dictionary says, is idle talk about people.  Now gossip comes from something none of us ought to be and that's idle, that's "i-d-l-e" not "i-d-o-l".  To be idle is to be unfruitful, unproductive, unprofitable, or lazy.

o  A fruit tree that does not bear fruit for harvest is idle.  An engine that's running and not going anywhere is idle.  A labourer who stands around all day not working is idle.  A tongue that too often wags about other people is idle.

o  Idle talk is talk which comes about from not being occupied with more important things.  We could all accomplish much more if we were rid of gossip and we would all appreciate the end of the rumour mill.

o  What about arrogance?  Arrogance is an attitude of thinking that you are more important than you really are.

o  Arrogance is assuming you will never face personal tragedy in a world filled with tragedy.

o  Arrogance is laughing and throwing a party on the roof of your beach house when you've been warned that category 4 hurricane is bearing down on you.

o  Arrogance is walking across the road, assuming the traffic will stop for you.

o  Arrogance is the attitude that causes us to say all kinds of things about others to make them seem less than they are and puff us up more.

o  When it comes to the motives that stir us up to say unkind things about others we all need more inner work done on our hearts. 

o  Until those changes take root the best thing to do is remember the advice of James and "Stop it!" When we speak under the influence of these things, then we are doing the lion's dirty work by judging our neighbours, judging God's law and judging God.

o   "But your job is to obey the law," says James, "not to judge whether it applies to you."

o  There is one lawgiver and judge and you and I are not him.  Since it is our job to obey the law of love, then it is also our job to exterminate the callous, cruel, critical attitude that revels in fault-finding.

o  God alone gave the law, God alone is qualified to judge, and God alone is qualified to enforce the law.

o  Do we really think that we know better than God when it comes right down to it?

o  As the NLT says, "So what right do you have to judge your neighbour?"  But the NIV captures the full force of the final words of verse 12, "But you--who are you?"

o  Do our actions, or in this case, our mouths, betray what we say we believe?

o  James was trying to get his readers' full attention on this matter so he was very blunt, as if to say, "Really! Who do you think you are?"

o  As Christians who are called to love one another and love God, we have to take seriously the warning of James.

o  If we love each other and love God, then we will stop speaking against one another and get rid of attitudes and habits that cause us to speak unkindly of others.

o  What will we do instead?

o  Encourage one another to speak only good things of others.

o  In the classic Disney movie Bambi, the young outspoken bunny, Thumper, speaks thoughtlessly about Bambi, which his mother overhears.  "Thumper!" she said, "What did your father tell you?"  To which came the timid reply, "If you haven't got anything nice to say don't say anything at all."  Wise words.  But for a people who love God and love one another we must go the extra mile...

o  Encourage one another to speak only good things of others.