Religious Lingo

There is something very small that almost every person has that can do a world of harm or of good. Something that many of us take for granted until we experience possible inhibitions to the tiny apparatus. The tongue--speech specifically--is this something which often glibly forms sounds foreign to our hearts. Experiencing the inhibitions that come with trying to use the tongue in other languages, I have noticed two manners of misuse of the tongue--examples when the words "suena mal" because behind them is an empty heart.

Spanish, in particular here in Spain, is a language rich in religious sentiment. Pass any time here and the words, "si Dios quiere" will fall on the ears. Less common, "Dios sólo sabe" can also be heard. What is amazing is that either obviously religious phrase can be uttered sincerely by the most hardened athiest. The will, the knowledge of God are farthest from their minds but the saying remains.

On the other hand you have highly religious, Bible-thumping, tract-pushing, Edwards-style people who claim to know God and instead utter phrases like, "Dios te bendiga". Uttering every jot and tittle correctly, they leave no room for argument yet the heart of the hearer feels oppression rather than love. Oozing criticism combined with exasperated sarcasm, to my quenched spirit the words sound false.

James talks at length (c. 3) on the tongue and its powerful untameability--"no one can tame the tongue" (v. 8). I often hear talks on how words issue from the heart, and so they do, but to address these two cases it is a different matter altogether: what is coming out of the mouth is not what is in the heart, as is evidenced (and here's the clincher) by other words and actions. "But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant [i.e., say otherwise] and so lie against the truth" (v. 14).

A life wholely given over to the Lover of my Soul should "suena bien" in word, deed--every aspect. Someone once said to a Creyente I know (after she had testified), "I respect you because you're different. When you say those words I know you really mean it and you really live it." In a world with so many arguments over the "form" of Christianity, as well as the continual struggle with what is true Christian lingo (reformed? evangelical? charismatic? emerging? postmodern?) what I long to see is a people arise--true creyentes--with passion for One.

Pero yo siempre estoy contigo.
Pués Tú me sostienes de tu mano derecha.
Me guías con tu consejo,
y más tarde me acogerás en gloria.
¿A quién tengo en el cielo sino a Ti?
Si estoy contigo, ya nada quiero en la tierra.
Podrían desfallecer mi cuerpo y mi espíritu,
pero Dios fortalece mi corazon;
Él es mi herencia eterna. (salmo 73.23-26)

Amen. ¡Venga pronto, Jesucristo!