We went to Paul’s kindergarten orientation yesterday. Maybe kids have changed since I was in school, but I imagine that some astute classmate will realize the wealth of comedic relief that a last name like “Snodgrass” provides. I’ve heard all the variations and different ways of distorting and rearranging this name to make reference to that which flows out of our nasal cavity. I’ll be surprised if Paul hears anything new. I can only hope that he eventually gets into a gifted program. Maybe then some bright and aspiring student will come up with something original.
I remember coming home to my maternal grandmother crying that I had been made fun of that day at school. Her last name was Daniel and maiden name was Brown. I doubt she had first-hand experience of what I was going through. She did, however, comfort me with some age-old wisdom that so many in my situation have heard before, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”
We have the best of intentions when we recite this little maxim; however, it’s simply not true. Words do hurt. We eventually learn to easily dismiss things as petty as variations of our last name, but words spoken in anger, gossip, slander, and lies against us hurt badly. In the book of James, we are called to get a handle on our speech. He calls us to “tame our tongue.” Like so many things related to our growth into Chirst-like maturity, it’s easier said than done. However, as I read James 3, I believe it’s possible. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can be the kind of people who use their speech to glorify God, encourage others, and build up the body of Christ.
