Language of Relationships

For some of us growing up maybe with the color of our skin somewhat different than those around us or our eyes had a shape that slanted more than most, we were taught a silly little ditty - sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me. But those of us on the receiving end of those words knew better, that the little incantation against the pain was really meaningless. Words could and did sting and worse than those sticks and stones, the sting from words did not fade away into a yellowish bruise but sometimes could last days and weeks at a time.

That words, and more broadly language, are powerful, if not defining, should not be underestimated - particularly for those who profess Christ as Lord. On one level, as noted by missiologist Lesslie Newbigin, to learn about a culture, first learn its language. For believers much of the beginning of the book of Genesis should be sufficient to dispel any notion that words are indeed formative. As God created, He did not simply will into being Heaven and earth, he did not merely wave His mighty hand to separate the land from the water or create the Sun and the Moon. The text informs us God spoke. "Then God said, “Let there be light;” and there was light.” (Gen 1:3), “And God said, Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters… And it was so.” (Gen 1:6) and so on for each of the six days of creation. A key verse reads “And God said, Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness… So God created humankind in his image.” (Gen 1:26-27). This verse informs us that we likewise have the power of formation through our use of language, but those thoughts are for another day.

That wonderful Trappist monk, Thomas Merton, continues this theme of Genesis. Beginning with verse 18 in Chapter 2, in the second creation account, God has formed the animals and brings them to Adam to name them. In this account, no other human had yet been created. Merton notes, “Adam had named the animals before he had anyone to talk to. This suggests that words are considered, by the authors of Genesis, to have a function other than that of simple communication – and it would seem this other function is primary.” The New Man at 88. As an evangelical, we often consider these verses to be a signal statement of human dominance over the animal life on the earth, however, as Merton suggests, this is not entirely accurate. The words of Adam identify and complete that which was spoken into existence. More on this soon.

The Babel story, to follow, completes the idea.