Isaiah 50:4a
The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary.
In our household at the moment there’s a lot of discussion about Christmas presents. The extended family have been asking ‘What would the girls like for Christmas?’ and so lists are being prepared! As far as I know, no-one’s requested ‘a well-instructed tongue’ but now that I’ve read this verse, I think I’d quite like one!
Imagine never being at a loss for what to say … Always ready with the right word in a tricky situation. Able to speak in a way that sustains the weary. Able to unravel a complicated situation so that the way-ahead is clear. Able to speak the truth gently.
Imagine never having to apologise because you spoke harshly, or got the wrong end of the stick, or said the right thing in the wrong way or at the wrong time. “No human being can tame the tongue”, writes James, in his New Testament letter. “Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect.” We all need a well-instructed tongue. Yet none of us has one, and none of us is likely to find out underneath the Christmas tree!
Only Jesus can claim to speak perfectly. His is the only well-instructed tongue the world has ever heard. And what did he do with it? He used it to announce the good news of the coming kingdom of God. To call people to repent of their sin and follow him. To pronounce forgiveness for sinners and healing for sufferers. To teach his followers how to come to the Father in prayer. We know that his words had sufficient authority to cast out demons and raise the dead. If he’d wanted to, he could absolutely have used his words to raise up a powerful following, entirely devoted to his own comfort and satisfaction. He could have used his words to serve himself, rather than serving others. But he didn’t. Instead, he used his words to sustain the weary.
Let’s praise him for that today. And let’s pray that we would be those who listen carefully to his words so that our tongues might learn more and more to speak in a way that honours him.