If I had spoken out like that, I would have betrayed your children. – Psalm 73:15

Today’s Scripture Reading (May 24, 2016): Psalm 73

Harry Potter author J. K. Rowling accepted a Literary Service Award last week and used the occasion to speak out on one of her favorite social issues – the Freedom of Speech. Specifically, Rowling defended the right of Donald Trump to go anywhere and say whatever is on his mind. She does not believe that her native Britain should ban the American politician from their shores. Rowling announced this belief to the crowd - “Now, I find almost everything that Mr. Trump says objectionable. I consider him offensive and bigoted, but he has my full support to come to my country and be offensive and bigoted there. His freedom to speak protects my freedom to call him a bigot.”

Rowling is correct in defending Trump’s right to speak. In countries that declare themselves to be ‘free speech zones,’ we all have the right to speak whatever we might find is important to us. But maybe the more important question is simply should we make use of that right? I have the right to say whatever I want in this blog. I can use it to challenge, to educate, or to just blow off some steam. But the bigger question is what should I speak? Rowling talks about a give and take that we sometimes forget exists. Trump is allowed to be bigoted and, as a result, she gets to call him a bigot. Too often we seem to believe that we have a right to speak, but that those that we speak with do not have the right to form a negative opinion of us. After all, all that we did was exercise our right. But the world doesn’t function that way. What we say also has an effect on how people see us – and our words have the ability to cause destruction. And the same principle which protects our ability to say what is on our mind also protects their ability to tell us how stupid, selfish, bigoted, dangerous … we are.

And the reality is that part of being an adult includes the ability to not say everything that we are thinking and feeling. We don’t have to write that negative Facebook post, even though we may have the right to write it. Sometimes adults hold things back, at least until they have thought things through and are sure of what they are feeling - and have taken into account the possible damage that our words might cause. I firmly believe that much of the pain that we experience inside the church is because of words that we have had the right to speak, but which should never have been spoken.

The Psalmist admits that some of his thoughts are dangerous – that there are some things that he simply won’t say or won’t write down because of the damage the words will cause. And because the feelings aren’t real. Feelings lie. They try to make us believe things that are not true. And if we act on false feelings, then we become responsible for the pain of the people that have been hurt by our words. What this Psalm consists of is the Psalmists second thoughts – the ones that he was able to come up with after the heat of the original moment had passed. And I love Charles Spurgeon’s reaction to his words.

From such a man as the psalmist, the utterance which his discontent suggested would have been a heavy blow and deep discouragement to the whole brotherhood. He dared not, therefore, come to such a resolution, but paused, and would not decide to declare his feelings. It was well, for in his case second thoughts were by far the best.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 75 & 76