Word of Mouth

Psalm 78:1-7
Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth.
I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our ancestors have told us. We will not hide them from their children; we will tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the LORD, and his might, and the wonders that he has done. He established a decree in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which he commanded our ancestors to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and rise up and tell them to their children,so that they should set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments.

Most of us learned about the power of God from somebody who told us about it. Some told us by means of their abiding presence, or their amazing acts of compassionate service. Many have taught us by taking the initiative to speak words of instruction or tell stories of illustration. Their words revealed basic wisdom about how God acts and how the fundamentals of faith enable us to "see" the world through a different lens. Without the presence of those who pass on the light of faith, successive generations would remain in the darkness of illusion or ignorance.

Can you recall some of the voices that transmitted faith instructions to you? It may be the voice of a particular pastor...or a relative...or it may have been the voice of an author or a paricular composer. Sometime and somehow, somebody uttered words that shone in the darkness and drew your attention to God's work.

As I walk through the world I may find myself amongst those who have not yet learned how to notice God's faithfulness that intersects time and space. It is up to me (and you...) to be one of the teachers who can transmit knowledge about God to others.

There was a time when the carriers of the faith, the People of the Old Testament, needed to rely upon testimonies about God's law...the covenant. Or there were rigid traditions and rules to be taught. There were lengthy stories and allegories that could only be passed on by word of mouth. There was no concise way to instill the lessons about God.

We have it so simple now... Jesus embodied everything we need to know.

God's words have taken the form that lives with us each moment. We don't need to knit our brows in an effort to figure out for ourselves the precise words of instruction. When we gather in worship, study and prayer, we are taught (again) of the eternal mystery of God. All wisdom and all truth is instilled and nourished. It is within us ... rooted in our hearts...and it is so abundant that it can spill and splash outward, teaching the next generation...and the next...and the next.

Through the way Jesus compells us to love and serve, we are "living lessons" for all who cross our path.

"Preach the gospel at all times -- If necessary, use words."
-- Saint Francis of Assisi