The Right Words

Words shape hearts, minds, and communities. In his first editorial, our new editor reflects on the power of “right words” and the call to let God’s Word dwell among us.

Have you ever wished you had just the right words for a situation? What if you could say the exact word that could change a heart or bring that needed encouragement?

Words are powerful things. They can inspire, they can destroy, and they can give life. In 1958, Bro. Bob Lloyd wrote the following article, one month after taking over the editorship of the Tidings from Bro. Carl Wolfe. He was 31 years old.

For a couple of years in my early twenties, I was able to visit with Bob every week, spending a few hours together each Friday afternoon. It was an incredibly formative time for me, and Bob’s mentorship played an integral part (as it likely did for many of us) in my own path of faith. Now stepping into this same role, in the same decade of life, I’d like to echo Bob’s thoughts. It’s an honor and a privilege to serve in this way.

Indeed. Words matter, and as I take on the leadership of this magazine, with its ability to distribute many different words, I would like to ask for your prayers—your words to God on our behalf—that it may continue to inspire and bring hope. I’d also like to recognize all of the ways Bro. Dave has not only used his words, but given of his time, his heart, and his being to really use this magazine for good, and in doing so, has created more than just a magazine—he has created a whole organization that works together to serve our community.

When I think about words, their power, and their role in community, my mind inevitably moves to the prologue of John’s Gospel: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14).¹ As the Word made flesh, the Lord Jesus “dwelt among us.” You may have heard before that the word translated as “dwelt” is the Greek word σκηνόω (skenoo; G4637), and carries the idea of “tabernacling.” It literally means living in a tent. Essentially, the text intended to make the readers think of the Temple and the Tabernacle, when the presence of God, via an angel, dwelt among the people (Exodus 25:8). In that same way, Christ came into the midst of Israel and dwelt with them, forming the centerpiece of their community. Those who followed him would structure their lives around him, much like Israel structured their camp around the Tabernacle (Numbers 2:1-31).

Yet, consider the way that John wrote about the Lord. He didn’t simply say that the Lord Jesus dwelt among the people, creating a community centered around himself. Instead, he wrote that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.” He chose to refer to the Lord as “the Word,” a term that appears to encapsulate the way that John continuously described Christ:

I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him. (John 8:26).

For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. (John 12:49).

No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15).

Throughout the Gospel, John presents Christ as the one who speaks God’s words. He was so filled with God’s thinking and God’s character that he could say, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9). Can you imagine? Thus, the word of God had become flesh. Everything written about him, all of the prophecies, all of the principles, and all of God’s plan could be seen in the Lord Jesus.

While this should put us in awe of the man whom we worship, it also brings us back to our thoughts on words. Christ was the Word made flesh, and he is our example. While we certainly cannot be the fulfillment of the prophecies and the types as he was, we can still aim to embody the words of God as he did. Truly, it’s those words that are the right words.

But how do we do that? How do we, in all the logistics and particulars of our own lives, learn to become the Word of God? We can memorize the words. We can think about them every day. We can talk about them with others. And that brings us right back to our magazine: we can read about them, and in doing so, gain a better understanding of them.

So, it is my prayer that together, through this magazine, we can all become more like the Lord Jesus. May that word of God become who we are, may it bind us together as a community in which Christ dwells, and may this magazine help to play a part in that.

Amen.

Jason Hensley

1 All quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the English Standard Version.  

 

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