The Danger of Language

Last updated on: October 2, 2013 at 12:43 am by Jeff Hood

The Danger of Language 2013-10-02T00:43:34-06:00 Jeff Hood

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I met a young Jewish woman tonight. We were drawn into a conversation about energy, love, and the universe. Though our language was different, the more we talked the more I found my spirit deeply connected to her spirit. I found her to be an inspired child of God…even the incarnation of Jesus for me in that moment. While I am sure she would describe it differently, it does not change the fact that we both seemed to find hope, companionship, and God in an unexpected place. It seems that the universe draws such conversations together when we need them the most. When I arrived back to the car, I found myself curious as to why others can’t cross boundaries and replicate the miracle of a God without boundaries that I experienced? The answer for me has consistently been the danger of clinging to language.

The danger of clinging to language is the danger of allowing language to keep one from truly making contact with the self, God, or anyone else…because we simply can’t get past words.

I have seen many people never get to God because they make idols out of words on a page…yet when we allow words to shift, change, and sometimes dissipate we eventually realize that true being comes from allowing the self to transcend the boundaries of language.

What language can describe the totality of the beauty of two lovers’ first kiss? What language can describe the totality of the amazement of a newborn baby? What language can describe the harmony of beloved community? What language can describe the totality of God? I want to have more experiences like tonight that are largely beyond the power of language to describe.

May we move past clinging to language…and become more human and divine in the process.

Amen.

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