Farewell-Goodbye

By Jim Faughn     As far as I know, I’m not planning to take any extended trips anytime soon. I am also not planning on this being my last post on A Legacy of Faith.      Since only God knows the future, I was careful to use the word “planning” in those statements. I’m sure that you can think along with me of at least a couple of places in the Bible which deal with the mistakes made by people who are totally confident about their futures. It is interesting to me that the two passages that came immediately to my mind–Luke 12:16-20 and James 4:13-17–concern people who saw for themselves a bright future. I suppose that’s what we all desire, but, as most of us learn from experience, that may not always be the case.     Actually, this post comes from the weird way in which my mind works (when it does work). I was listening to something while I was walking one day. As I was listening, a word was used that, for some reason, kind of got stuck in my head. It’s a word that may not be used as often as it once was, but it is by no means a word I had never heard before. The word was farewell.     Until I started thinking about that word and then did a little research on it, I guess I thought that “farewell” was equivalent to “goodbye,” “so long,” “catch you later,” and other phrases people use when they are departing from one another. While we may use those words and phrases without thinking too much about them, I discovered that two words – the ones in the title of this post – actually carry with them a message.     There are actually two words within the word “farewell” – “fare” and “well.” When the definitions of those two words are put together in one word, a message is actually being sent that expresses a desire that the person or people from whom you are departing gets along (fares) well.     I also learned that, when I say “goodbye” to a person, I’m not just saying, “I’m leaving,” I’m getting off of the phone now,” etc. Instead, according to what I read, “goodbye” is a kind of shorthand way of expressing something that was more in vogue long ago. Over the years (centuries actually), “God be with you” became shortened to “goodbye.”     So what? Why in the world, you may be thinking, did I go to the trouble of looking all that up and why did I think that you would waste your time reading it?     Well, for one thing, I’ve already told you that my mind works in weird ways. The people who know me best can attest to that!     Yet another reason is that I sometimes get curious about things that some may see as inconsequential. I can tell you, however, that I have found out some very interesting things doing what some might refer to as “chasing rabbit trails”     I would like to think, though, that there is another reason or two for all of this. For one thing, the two words in the title sound a little more formal (and now meaningful) than some of the more flippant and casual words and phrases commonly used today.      I am far from being a person who is concerned about formality. At the same time, I often wonder if we haven’t lost something by being overly casual and informal.     I think that what prompted me the most to type all of this, though, was something that I need to consider. Maybe you do as well.      Each time that I open my mouth I am sending some sort of message. It might be advisable for me to understand the meanings of the words I am speaking and the message I am sending. This is not just true when I am leaving somebody, finishing a conversation, etc. It is true all of the time. We need to remember that it was Jesus who said…     I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned. (Matt. 12:36-37)     Since we seem to get bombarded daily with things that are negative, discouraging, and destructive, I think that it would be good to remember to send messages from time to time that are positive, encouraging, and helpful.     So – with that, I will say… farewell and goodbye.

- Jim Faughn serves as and elder for the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY. Be sure to visit the following for more great articles: Faughn Family blog, A Legacy of Faith **

Taste Your Talk; Tame Your Tone

By Donna Faughn       Many years ago I developed a lesson to present at a Ladies’ Day entitled “Ten Commandments for Christian Women.” I used it multiple times at different places and it was almost always well received.  Obviously, it was not all-inclusive because the Bible contains many commandments for both men and women.  I simply selected 10 that I thought would be most helpful to women in particular.     The title of this post contains two of those commandments given by God. Oh, He doesn’t say them exactly like that, but he does teach the principle. I selected these two to write about in this post because of what I’m hearing (or reading) from Christian women. Election season is not known for being a time when people taste their talk or tame their tone!     I also am NOT saying that we should sit quietly by and never express our opinions concerning those running for public offices whether it be local, state, or national in scope. As citizens of this country, we should be concerned with who our leaders will be. However, we need to realize that how we say what we say can damage our influence on others.     Concerning talking to others vocally, we need to think about how our words taste as they exit our mouths. Would they be considered bitter, or sour, or foul tasting, or would they be sweet, mellow, or pleasant?     Colossians 4 is a great place to learn about tasting our talk. It begins with verse two, but for my emphasis, I want to zero in on verse 6: “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person” (emphasis added).     James 3 has another interesting lesson about our tongues. It teaches us that the tongue can direct (vs 3,4); it can destroy (vs 5,6); and it can delight (vs.9a, 10a). The text continues with these words: “From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”     We really need to learn how to taste our talk, especially when we are discussing current events.     But what about how we say certain things? I’m talking about the tone in which we say things. Do we really realize that the tone we use when speaking can change the way it is taken? We’ve all heard examples of the same words being said in different tones of voice, and depending on the tone, an entirely different message is received.     I often think of Jesus when He was tempted by the devil following Jesus’ lengthy fast. I imagine Satan using a condescending tone as he tempts our Lord, but I doubt that the answers Jesus gave were said with any tone but quiet “matter of factness “ (if that’s a word). He depended on the word of God when he said “it is written…” Even in Matthew’s account (Matt. 4:1-11), when Jesus told Satan to “Be gone,” I doubt that those words were spoken harshly. I can hear a calm answer clearly spoken. His tone would not cause a dispute.     Now when I think of the tone I sometimes use, I wonder what message I am sending.     We need to learn to tame our tone.     But we need to consider one last line of communication which we deal with on a daily basis. Our words go out over the internet daily, and because the recipients can’t hear how we are saying those words, or see our facial expressions, or see our body language, we must be extremely careful about the words we use online. Derogatory pictures or memes, accompanied by our comments, can be very damaging to our example as Christians. We simply must taste our talk and tame our tone!     When you express your opinion face to face or online, be sure you check your words and your tone. “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.” (Prov. 25:11)

- Donna Faughn is the wife and mother of preachers and is a frequent speaker at women’s events. She is a member of the Central Church of Christ in Paducah KY.  She may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.centralchurchofchrist.org

When Silence Isn't Golden

By Joe Slater     We spend the first year trying to get the baby to talk; then we spend the next seventeen years trying to get him to be quiet!     There is a time to be silent (Ecclesiastes 3:7). Even Jesus was silent when the occasion called for it (Matthew 26:63).     But silence isn’t always golden. Sometimes it’s counterproductive or downright sinful. When David had sinned, his guilt ate him alive as long as he kept it bottled up inside. “When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long” (Psalm 32:3). Only when he confessed to God did he find pardon and relief.     When you have information that can help other people, remaining silent about it would be sinful! For example, when Syria besieged Jerusalem, a terrible famine resulted. The Lord caused the Syrians to flee, leaving behind abundant food. The four lepers who discovered it knew they must tell others. “This day is a day of good news, and we remain silent. If we want until morning light, some punishment will come upon us. Now therefore come, let us go and tell the king’s household” (2 Kings 7:9).     If remaining silent in that day of good news would have been sinful, how much more if Christians stay quiet about the gospel of Christ? Paul had suffered terrible abuse for evangelizing virtually everywhere he went. Still, he came to Corinth and led many to Christ. The Lord told him, “Do not be afraid, but speak, and do not keep silent; for I am with you, and no one will attack you to hurt you; for I have many people in this city” (Acts 18:9-10).     Speak to the Lord about your burden of sin! Speak to other people about the Gospel! Silence isn’t golden!

- Joe Slater serves as minister of the Church of Christ in Justin, TX. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://justinchurchofchrist.com

Honesty, the Only Policy

 

By David Bragg     A professor at Harvard Business School, who specializes in studying ethical behavior, has completed a research project on honesty. She found herself in hot water when she faced allegations of falsifying results. According to a report from NPR, the instructor was accused in June 2023 of changing data in her honesty study. As investigators dug deeper into her work, they reportedly found a disturbing trend reaching back over ten years of her career.     Even in a dishonest world, where people expect to lie and be lied to, they react in shocked amazement when someone in a position of authority is caught up in dishonesty. The driving instructor caught driving under the influence. The marriage councilor getting a divorce. The truancy officer skipping work. Sometimes you wonder, who can you really trust?     Honesty is a basic trait of God (Num. 23:19; Titus 1:2; Titus 1:2). You can trust God. He is ALWAYS truthful. His promises are kept, His word is always found reliable. Christians ought to always be honest, too. Even a cursory reading of the Bible reveals that wants His people to be honest people (Eph. 4:25; Col. 3:9; Rev. 21:8). The old saying is true: honesty is the best policy. In fact, it is the only policy that really works. It will keep us true to God and at peace with others. To be holy is to be honest, only then will I be ready for eternity.

- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/

Where There Is No Wood

By Brian Mitchell       See if you can guess of whom or what the author is speaking. “I am more deadly than the screaming shell of a canon. I win without killing. I tear down homes, break hearts, wreck lives, and destroy churches. I travel on the wings of the wind. No innocence is strong enough to intimidate me, no purity pure enough to daunt me. I have no regard for truth, no respect for justice, no mercy for the defenseless. My victims are as numerous as the sands of the sea and often as innocent. I never forget and seldom forgive. My name is...?”     Can you guess of whom or what he is speaking? Most of it sounds like a description of the devil himself. But that is not of whom the article speaks. Who or what could be so cruel and heartless? He ends this article by saying my name is GOSSIP!!! The abomination described in this article is something that indeed is very cruel and heartless, and is something very strongly condemned in the Bible. Yet still it is something often found on the lips of God’s children and we many times are not even aware that we are guilty of gossiping.     The book of James provides perhaps the most graphic warnings about the tongue in the whole Bible—Jm.3:6 and Jm.3:8. There are very few sins that the Bible describes in more serious terms, and yet there are very few sins which receive so little thought or attention. As I said, there are times when we may not even be aware that we are gossiping and that is why it is so serious. This is why we need to understand what gossip is, so that we might never be guilty of it.     Taming the tongue is not something that many of us often think about, until it gets us in trouble, or until we are the victim of someone else’s misuse of the tongue. What we must realize is the fact that there are few things in our possession that have the ability to do more harm and damage. With our hands we may take a person’s material goods or even their physical life. But with the tongue you may take a man’s dignity, his good name and reputation, and all that gives his life real value.     Sadly, you can do all of these things without ever having the intention of doing so, all by getting caught in what may seem like at times harmless chit chat. As I have said before, we don’t get to decide how our words affect the lives of others, and that is why we must be extremely careful with the words we speak. Someone once said, “A three inch tongue can destroy a six foot man.”     I know a preacher that once promised during his Sunday morning sermon that during his evening lesson he was going to preach about that congregation’s greatest sin. Of course, everyone came back that evening and heard a sermon on the subject of gossiping. The interesting part of the story was the next he received a call from one of his elders saying that two women from the church had called him to complain about the preacher’s sermon—do you see the problem with that??? Instead of calling the preacher to talk with him, these ladies called an elder.     We should examine what the Bible says about Gossip and we must make this terrible yet often overlooked sin seriously and effectively handle situations where others want to share gossip with you.

- Brian Mitchell serves as a minister with the Jackson Church of Christ in Jackson, MO. He may be contacted through the congregation's website at https://www.jacksonchurchofchrist.net

Loshon hora

By Al Behel

    “Loshon hora” is a Hebrew phrase for negative or cruel speech. The Bible forbids hurtful and negative talk. There are some people who were born in the “objective” case and “kickative” mood. Whenever ideas are presented they find something wrong with them. They speak harsh and critical words to others. 

    What makes people negative and hurtful? Why do some people always seem to look for the worst in everything? Why do children (and some adults) whine when they don’t get their way or are not given special attention? Why do they explode into tears or angry outbursts? Why do some use intimidation and threats?

    It has been said that rudeness is the weak person’s imitation of strength. Those who use put-downs and hurtful words show their own weakness and insecurities. Furthermore, they fail to reflect the spirit of Christ. They lack love and respect for others. 

    Cruel speech might include damaging remarks about another person. When we say demeaning things about that person we injure him in the minds of those who hear. Gossip and slanderous remarks violates the law of love. Scripture tells us. “’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law" (Romans 13:9-10). Love is the antidote to gossip and all sins of speech.

Lord, guard our tongues so what we say

Won't hurt and carelessly offend;

Give us the gracious speech of love,

With words that soothe and heal and mend. —Sper

    Before saying something to or about another, ask yourself three questions: Is it true?, is it necessary?, and, is it kind? If the answer to all three questions is “yes”, then freely speak what is on your heart. If your words build and encourage, they are like sweet music to the heart. But, if they are loshon hora, they will sting and hurt and destroy.

- Al Behel served the Great Smoky Mountains Church of Christ in Pigeon Forge, TN, for many years prior to this death in April 2022. The congregation may be contacted through their website - https://gsmchurchofchrist.com/

Bridling the Tongue

By David R. Ferguson

 

    James 1:26 [NAS] says, “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this person’s religion is worthless.” This isn’t just referring to what we say, it also refers to what we choose to post and share on social media. Pay attention to what you are saying. Your speech is one of the most important parts of your witness.

    No matter where you are, at home, at work, at play, at church, or in any organization or group you decide to join, your tongue reveals what’s in your heart. In fact, an argument can be made that what one posts and shares on social media is even more egregious than what we say.

    James also writes, “So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of unrighteousness; the tongue is set among our body’s parts as that which defiles the whole body and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by Hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one among mankind can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:5-8 [NAS] Since the tongue is untamed, sometimes we say things we immediately regret saying. So, it’s worse to post vile and despicable things than it is to speak them because posting involves forethought. When we do so, we are making a conscience choice to say something that is intended to hurt others. It isn’t simply reactionary as can happen with the tongue.

    The reason we react the way we do, however, is because of the condition of our heart. Remember, our Lord and Savior said, “For the mouth speaks from that which fills the heart.” He then added, “But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37 [NAS]) For Christians, we need to make doubly sure that we bridle our tongue and think twice before posting and sharing on social media. We must do all in our power to live our life for Jesus Christ, never forgetting that we “were once darkness, but now [we] are light in the Lord; walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8 [NAS]).

    May God bless you as you serve Him!

- David R. Ferguson preaches for the Mentor Church of Christ in Mentor, OH.  He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://mentorchurchofchrist.com/ or davidferguson61@yahoo.com