24,25 Mar -- Why Don't You Just Shut-up!

The readings for Sat 24 and Sun 25 March are -- Gen 37:1-38:30; Ps 12:1-5; Prov 3:7-8; Mt 13:36-58.

Last night in Church I got up and said to everyone "Why don't you just shut-up!" Before you conclude that the Pastor's finally lost it, let me explain. My sermon was entitled "The Words of my Mouth" and was based on Psalm 12. I wanted to start off by making the point that our speech can be very powerful -- in a negative way or in a positive way. So I began: "Why don't you just shut-up!.. You're an idiot!.. I just don't love you anymore... That's really interesting; tell me more... You're really quite clever you know... I love you and love being with you..."

Then I told this little story. Xanthus, the philosopher, once told his servant that the next day he was going to have some friends for dinner and that he should get the best thing he could find in the market. The philosopher and his guests sat down the next day at the table. They had nothing but tongue -- four or five courses of tongue -- tongue cooked in this way, and tongue cooked in that way. The philosopher finally lost his patience and said to the servant, "Didn't I tell you to get the best thing in the market?" The servant said, "I did get the best thing in the market. Isn't the tongue the organ of sociability, the organ of eloquence, the organ of kindness, the organ of worship?" Then Xanthus the philosopher said, "Tomorrow I want you to get the worst thing in the market." And on the morrow the philosopher sat at the table, and there was nothing but tongue -- four or five courses of tongue -- tongue in this shape and tongue in that shape. The philosopher lost his patience again and said, "Didn't I tell you to get the worst thing in the market?" The servant replied, "I did; for isn't the tongue the organ of blasphemy, the organ of defamation, the organ of lying?" (From "The Behavior of Belief" by Spiros Zodhiates.)

And here are a couple of other quotes I used.
"It's much better to keep silent and let everyone think you are a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt." (Lewis Sperry Chater)
"If your lips would keep from slips,
Five things observe with care:
To whom you speak; of whom you speak;
And how, and when and where." (William Norris)