04/08/2026
Reverend Patrick Woodbeck's Wednesday Wondering for Wednesday April 8th, 2026
Scripture
1Corinthians 13: 1 - 8a
If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away all my possessions, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.
Reflection
I have been wondering a lot these past few weeks about words. It might seem like a rather strange thing to think about, but the reality is that words have power. Words can lift up and they can break down. It seems that in our world today words are often used to rip apart and tear down. Any of you who spend any time on social media might be well aware of this phenomenon. Oftentimes words are used in anger and to marginalized others with whom the writer disagrees. Words these days seem to be used more for ridicule than affirmation, and yet they continue to hold so much power over so many. But words are more than that, they can, and do, connect us to one another and they can be used to build up, not just individuals but also relationships. I have often said that the most important thing that we do with each other is communicate, but in order to communicate we often have to use our words. There are so many, myself included, who are raised without the skills of honest and real, sometimes challenging, communication.
I will be honest these past few weeks I have found myself having a difficult time finding the words that I need to speak. It is not that I don’t have a deep need to speak, it is that there are so many things in my past that have been preventing me from speaking that words that need to be said, yet those words are important to share. Sometimes we don’t speak the words that we need to say because of fear. Fear of being rejected or judged for what we say. Sometimes we don’t speak the words that we need to say because we fear of hurting another, not sure if we can find the correct words to speak that will not hurt the to whom we need to speak those words. Some of us have been told that our voices don’t matter, so we remain silent, not believing that what we have to say bears any importance. While others remains silent because they have faced the wrath of others by speaking their own truths. I would be lying if I didn’t say that sometimes each one of these reasons plays a part in my own decision to remain silent when words are needed. I want to share with you some lyrics to a song that I was listening to this past week by A Great Big Word ft. Christina Aguilera; “Say something I’m giving up on you./ I’ll be the one if you want me to/ Anywhere I would have followed you/ Say something I’m giving up on you/ And I, will swallow my pride/ You’re the one that I love/ But I’m saying goodbye.” To be able to speak the words that need to be said can allow us to maintain a relationship that is on the verge of fracturing. But not speaking those same words can lead to the end of that same relationship. When I struggle with words my heart reminds me of Paul’s letter to the community at Corinth, who were struggling with a community that was falling apart.
“If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but I don’t have love.” To speak difficult words can be challenging, but God reminds us that when we speak words, even difficult words, in love it can make a difference. As humans we will struggle in the midst of relationships, we will struggle to say the words that need to be said, but when we speak in love, when we hear in love, it can help us to be heard and to hear in a different way. I wonder how often we forget the power of love. The power of love, not only to build up, but to forgive and persevere. But, we have to be honest here, with ourselves and others in our lives, a much as we hope to speak in love the reality is that it doesn’t always happen. One of the other lyrics in the song speaks to this reality, “and I will stumble and fall/ I’m still learning to love/ just starting to crawl.” To understand that to learn to speak words in love is not an end, but it is a journey. We learn as we go, making mistakes, speaking words not in love but in anger, yet we continue to try. I do believe that the point is that we continue to try. We continue to speak those words that need to be spoken, continuing to ‘say something’ in love as best as we are able, so that we don’t lose those we love and those relationships that are important, relying on God to guide our words. To open our hearts up to God, who is love, in our hearing so that the words we hear are heard in love. To remind ourselves that just as we struggle to say the words that we need to say, others might be struggling as well and in offering them grace, in those times of struggle, we find that the love we hold for others truly can bear many things. I know that there are many times I struggle to say the words that need to be spoken. I know that there are many times when I struggle to speak in love. Yet, I also know that God is with me, encouraging me, guiding me, helping me find the love words that need to be spoken so that I build up, rather than tear down.
Prayer
God of all of our words, help us to remember that we are called to speak in love, even when the words that we need to speak might be challenging. Give us the courage to keep trying, even when we fail. Give us the wisdom to know that to speak in love can be challenging and yet we know that it is a journey and we are learning as we go. Help us to always remember that love is more powerful than we know, it is strong, yet gentle, it is forgiving, and challenging, it is hopeful and grace-filled. Let us always remember that love comes from you. We ask all of this in the name of Love Incarnate, your son, Jesus. Amen.
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Patrick Woodbeck
Minister
The Big Red Church (Gordon-King Memorial United)/ Grey Street United
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