Gill writes:
My 17-year old self might look upon the life her middle-aged self is experiencing and say ‘Well, who knew that life in the 21st Century could feel like you’re living in 1984.’ And by ‘1984’, I obviously mean the book by George Orwell that 17-year old Gill kind of enjoyed at ‘A’ Level but was a bit too immature to quite grasp the politics, social commentary and let’s face it, prophetic visions, that Orwell described.
It feels to me that week by week, month by month, year by year, Orwell’s novel makes more and more sense, and disturbingly, elements of it feel more real too. Take this week, for example, when more than one public figure has used words and said things that have disturbed, angered, and provoked. I am sure I can sense that they are manipulating and dividing people by the words that they are choosing to use.
“But if thought corrupts language, language can also corrupt thought.” said George Orwell.
Words can be used as weapons. They can also be used to bring people together. To fire people up. To motivate. To manipulate. To show love. To share hate. They can sow seeds of thought that impact positively and negatively. A homophobic attitude might be cloaked in language that comes across as legitimate; a comment about whether a woman is the sort you’d chat up in a bar or a statements in official government documents labelling people with the ‘N’ word. The use of such words and language by public figures and places give permission for them to be used in everyday life to oppress, denigrate and degrade our neighbours, friends and family.
Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Can’t you understand?
‘Enjoy The Silence’ is one of the most popular songs by Depeche Mode (it was voted Best British Single in the 1991 Brit Awards) and it reminds us about the damage that words can do. Even when we love people, there are times when we can’t stop ourselves sniping, gossiping, talking behind their backs or responding passive-aggressively (just a few examples).
No wonder the narrator of the song prefers to sit and hold their beloved in their arms, in silence. Letting the moment calm them, reassure them and dwell in the feelings of love. If we enjoy the silence, we can feel safe in the space that words – even well-intentioned ones- are not going to come in and disrupt.
Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable
The Epistle of James has quite a bit to say about the use of words. We’re confronted by the image that the tongue can be like the spark of a fire that leads to the devastation of a forest. Just one small word can lead to destruction.
I find this in my work as a Place for Hope Practitioner. Place for Hope is a charity that ‘accompanies and equips people and faith communities so that all might reach their potential to be peacemakers who navigate conflict well’. What you often find at the heart of a conflict or challenging situation is a conversation or an exchange of words that was the catalyst that has reeked havoc through a community or into a relationship.
The founder of Methodism, John Wesley, also had thoughts on the words that we utter. He wrote quite clearly about the expectations of what a Methodist should be like. These thoughts should apply not just to Methodists but to anyone who is a Jesus Follower. Here’s what he says:
“He cannot speak evil of his neighbour no more than he can lie, either for God or man. He cannot utter an unkind word of any one; for love keeps the door of his lips. He cannot speak idle words. No corrupt communication ever comes out of his mouth, as is all that which is not good, to the use of edifying, not fit to minister grace to the hearers. But whatsover things, are pure, whatsover things are lovely, whatsoever things are justly of good report, he thinks and speaks, and acts, adorning the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in all things.” (The Character of a Methodist by John Wesley)
It’s a challenge isn’t it. We love to talk and natter. We love a good craic. What we say can build people up; can encourage and can be the thing that changes a life.
Perhaps enjoying the silence is also about that moment we can take before we utter our words to one another. A moment when we can consider how what we are about to say might be received. A moment to recognise that the person before us is created in the image of God.
Enjoy the silence.
You can find out more about Depeche Mode at http://www.depechemode.com.
The Friday Fix 