Plymouth Congregational Church of Fort Wayne, UCC
September 13, 2009
Twenty-fourth Sunday in Pentecost

Scripture Lesson:  James 3:1-12

 Teaching to Tame

"... Not many of you should become teachers ...''
(James 3:1)

Prelude

A couple of weeks ago I received word of the death of a

beloved college professor.  Dr. Barbara Akin was her name.

She was professor and chair of the Department of History

at Grove City College, where I did my undergraduate work.

She hailed from the south side of Chicago, where she attended

Catholic schools; and then there was a checkered period,

when she did some TV work in Chicago (behind the camera,

I can assure you!).  This enabled her to attend

night school (Loyola U, Northwestern, St. Xavier College);

and then she served for a time in the U.S. Air Force in Japan. 

She returned from that tour to Chicago, to resume working

and schooling (Northwestern, St. Xavier College), finally

completing her doctorate in American church history from

the University of Chicago.  Then it was off to Grove City -

western Pennsylvania; the single Catholic woman from

Chicago in the wilds of Presbyterian infested western Pennsylvania.

That must have been culture shock of another kind.

Not all were fond of Dr. Akin; some worked hard to avoid

her teaching.  She had the reputation of being tough and

demanding.  She did not engage in grade inflation, and A's

were hard to come by.  She intimidated some, and caused

others to shrink in fear.  I don't know if it was her working class

background, or the influence and discipline of the military

training, but I can assure you, the rule of "no nonsense"

prevailed during class.

We all need people who contribute to the shaping and

direction of our lives.  We all need teachers who take an

interest in our lives and our development.  Dr. Akin was

one for me who played such a decisive, critical role, at a

time when all was not clear or well ordered in my life.

She was typically direct, always candid; she asked for

the best that a student could offer, and in that quest

she did not compromise.  I was among those who

did not avoid, but rather sought her out, reveling

in the spirit and pursuit of knowledge.

Some of you may recall the film, Paper Chase,

which tells John Osborne's story of a first-year

Harvard law student who becomes obsessed with

the strictest of instructors, the legendary and

brilliant, and intimidating "contracts" professor,

 Charles Kingsfield (played in the film by John

Houseman).  The professor holds stern Socratic

court with students.  It was a bit like this with

Dr. Akin (minus the oak paneled auditorium and

stadium seating).

"Mr. Gardner,"

I heard on more than one occasion,

"would you please define your terms."

"You are excessive in your use of adjectives,

Mr. Gardner, would you please use some

restraint." 

"Please state your pre-suppositions, Mr. Gardner, 

that lead you to such conclusions."

Teachers. 

Do you have one or more that challenged you?

That lit a fire in your soul that could not be satisfied

except with sustained inquiry and exploration? 

That stoked your imagination and left you wanting

more and more?

That made demands upon you,

such as "you can do better!"

*****                   *****                   *****                   *****

WE WHO TEACH

In our lesson this morning from James,

the writer addresses the topic of

the teaching ministry and then moves

quickly into a discussion on the

"perils of speech."

Note:  there is use of a first person plural pronoun - "we." 

"Not many of you should become teachers,

for you know that we who teach will be judged

with greater strictness."  Teaching is recognized as

an office, a position of authority and power, and with

the position there is a responsibility.

This would appear echo the teaching:

"From everyone to whom much has been given,

much will be required; and from the one to whom

much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded"

(Luke 12:48).

James does not expect perfection.

It is given that we all make mistakes (v. 2).

And many of our mistakes, seemingly, can be traced

to the speech that flows forth from the tongue.

The "we" who teach,

do not want to mislead.

The "we" who teach,

do not want to misrepresent.

The "we" who teach,

do not want to hinder or burden.

The "we" who teach,

do not confuse,

or unnecessarily complicate,

or unreasonably close any avenue of inquiry

wherein faith might germinate.

Yet we most certainly have the capacity to do just this.

And the source of so much trouble is the tongue.

So James pleads caution, and makes an appeal

that the tongue be tamed.

          *****                   *****                   *****

This is no minor theme in this writing.

It is front and center stage really, with

carefully developed nuance of understanding.

Early in the writing it was stated:

"You must understand this,

my beloved, let everyone be quick to listen,

slow to speak, slow to anger, for your anger

does not produce God's righteousness"

(James 1:19).

James shows an awareness of

discordant speech

(flattery for the favored;

contempt for the poor; 2:2-4),

careless speech

(if you say, go in peace, and you know

there is no peace into which to go, and you

take no action that remedies the condition,

then this is careless speech),

superficial speech

(not simply words, but deeds need verify and validate

that to which we witness).

Yet he continues, even into what we heard this morning: 

the teaching to be judged, via the tongue, is capable of

being toxic, incendiary, it "stains" the whole body;

speech defiles, language pollutes; the tongue can cause

"a world of mischief" (TCNT translation). 

The early Christian movement did arise in protest,

in part, against this capacity to debase language,

to deface people, to defame God.

There was trust and belief, faith if you will,

that a people could say what they mean

and mean what they say. 

There was an ethical standard in place:

let your yes be yes, and your no be no.

And there was admonishment,

this instrument, so unwieldy

is to be trained for godly use.

The "word of truth" implanted within serves:

to bless,

not to curse;

to encourage,

not to disparage;

to enlarge horizons,

not to diminish

or shrink wrap our understanding of faith and life.

I sense, the best of teachers work hard to tame

the tongue, not so much to curb or restrict speech,

but to transform and elevate and encourage

eloquence that we might speak what has been spoken,

that we might proclaim - what once was, even now,

as we trust it will be. 

It is curious, isn't it, that on the day of Pentecost,

the gift was received by community, the Holy Spirit

filling the community, with tongues as of fire; and all

proceeded to proclaim the good things of God.

This, too, is part of our hope and expectation as we teach.

          *****                   *****                   *****

Well, we live in world, do we not, where it is wise to be

extra careful, especially if you deal with microphones and cameras,

for you might get caught on tape, by camera, saying and doing

things you may well regret.  It seems to happen all the time.

It even happens to ministers with these microphones that amplify

voices.  We forget the button is on, and then we utter some thought

profane or indiscreet, and what we say gets broadcast to a host

of people, who are shocked to hear such things. 

When politicians get caught on tape unaware,

with untamed tongue,

reveling in their salacious infidelities,

or calling "liar" those who are calling

for constructive conversation,

how often do we watch them dancing,

wanting to protect their position

of power and privilege, but not wanting

anything to do with a "greater strictness" of judgment? 

James is the optimist, believing we can sort this out.

The tongue is "restless evil, full of deadly poison."

It reveals our double-minded natures.

He pleads, "it ought not to be so."

Yet we need teachers, do we not?

We all can't run and hide.

We need teachers committed,

curious, creative, full of conviction.

We need them in the church.

We need them with our children.

We need them in chapel class for adults.

We need them in all our schools.

Here we do well to remember

what Emerson once recorded: 

"The whole secret of the teacher's force

lies in the conviction that people are convertible."

(Journals, 1849)

And James might say the good teacher is grace

at those life intersections when we actually change,

when we stride more fully into the life God desires.

At its best, the church has always been a

teaching institution. 

"Make me to know your ways, O Lord, teach me thy paths.

Lead me in your truth, and teach me, for you are the God

of my salvation ..." (Psalm 25:4-5).

"Teach me your way, O Lord,

that I may walk in your truth;

give me an undivided heart to revere your name"

(Psalm 86:11).

With my tongue,

with the words of my mouth and the meditation of my

heart, I will glorify and praise you.

May it be so for us, even here,

for the glory of God.

Amen.