For centuries it has been the practice of Christians around the world to make a special commitment during the forty days before Easter in some area of personal spiritual discipline. Lent is when we commit to giving up something good so that we then can embrace something better remembering that Jesus let go of His crown in order to take up our cross so we could hear the resurrection words of forgiveness and hope.
The third chapter of James begins with the warning, "Let not many of you become teachers....". Dr. Waybright assured me that there was no intended message for me in this assignment! However, I believe that God does have something for me, our Lake Avenue family and for those whom I am privileged to lead as the Headmaster at Maranatha High School.
In preparing, I was drawn back to my ordination vows that come from the Journals of the 18th century revivalist John Wesley. One exhortation is the promise that we as preachers "neither speak too long or too loud" - that always gets a chuckle when the Bishop asks for such compliance. However, the smiles fade when he asks, "Will you guard carefully every word you speak, since each word will either eat as does a canker (cancer) or heal as does a balm (ointment)"?
The majority of James 3 anchors these pledges issuing both cautions and corrections for the use of our tongues. While all Christians should take heed, James emphasizes the impact words spoken by those who teach and lead have on those they serve. The chapter closes with a convicting diagnostic of what causes "cancerous speech" (vs. 13-16) but ends with a wonderful set of guidelines to help us determine if our speaking is a "balm" infused with wisdom (vs. 17-18).
So here is my Lenten focus - and my call to each of us who have opportunities to serve in a variety of "teaching" roles. It's Lent's Three to One Challenge to master "Lenten Speak" – using our tongues to appropriate the power of a resurrection-infused vocabulary.
First, let's be more disciplined, and hold one another accountable, to not criticize or critique another person until we have first offered three words of affirmation about that person. In my adopted household we took James', as well as Wesley's, controlling of the tongue seriously. We could not say a negative thing about anyone until we had first said ten good things. I usually got to three - and then got the point - hence my three to one challenge.
Next, whenever we have official responsibilities for evaluation and assessment of others, let's offer three positives for each negative - three "atta-boy/atta-girls" for every point of critique or correction. Maria was right; a spoonful of sugar does help the medicine go down.
My sense is that if we take this challenge seriously, our Easter this year will be filled with a fresh awareness that "He is risen indeed!" because we hear the voice of our resurrected Lord in the words we share with and about one another.
Thank you for prayerfully considering this challenge. By the way, I feel comfortable asking you to do this because I sense in those I am getting to know here at Lake Avenue the following "three things":
1. A desire to be followers of Christ at the highest levels possible,
2. A commitment to one another to make a positive contribution to the futures God already has planned for each of us and
3. A hunger to be a gracious, caring place where God's Kingdom has come and His will is being done – in both words and deeds so all can hear the power of the resurrection words, "He is risen indeed"!
To His Glory,
Dr. David Gyertson
Headmaster at Maranatha High School
