The Works of God

Politicians from both sides of the aisle have been caught using the word ‘retarded’ in a demeaning way over the past several months.  Of all people, those who have their words scrutinized should know better.

But I’m not writing today to pile on – I know my own heart well enough to know that while certain words are off-limits, my heart still harbors evil against others.

I’ve been thinking about how to address the issue of language and the condition of my heart. The church covenant I entered into at Bethlehem includes several helpful statements.  For example, here is statement four of the six that make up the entire covenant:

We further engage to watch over one another in brotherly love; to remember one another in prayer; to aid one another in sickness and distress; to cultivate Christian sympathy in feeling and courtesy in speech; to be slow to take offense, but always ready for reconciliation and mindful of the rules of our Savior to secure it without delay.

I know the Church Covenant is specifically addressing the community of members at Bethlehem.  But the principles of being ‘slow to take offense’ and ‘always ready for reconciliation’ are worth striving for as one who clings to a savior who sacrificed his very life for sinners like me.

Plus, I know that God has already assigned special protection to those with disabilities:

You shall not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:14

So, let us not demean politicians who use language carelessly.  Yes, such things need to be addressed because they do harm others, like my own boy.  But their words are only pointing to the condition of their hearts.  We do them no favors by merely encouraging them to hide that condition rather than turning their trust to our savior.