Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Official Report 572KB pdf

---

Time for Reflection

Good afternoon. The first item of business is time for reflection, for which our leader is the Rev Douglas Mackeddie of Maryburgh and Killearnan Free Church of Scotland.

Presiding Officer,

“Then the officers came to the chief priests and Pharisees; who said to them, ‘Why have you not brought Him?’ The officers answered, ‘No man ever spoke like this Man!’”

The voice of Christ. Communication is very much at the heart of what we do, whether we are interacting in the political arena, in the community, or even in the church. Effective communication is of the essence. Remember the words of a song of another generation:

“It’s not what we say it’s the way that we say it; that’s what gets results.”

In the words that I read from John’s gospel—

“No man ever spoke like this Man”—

we have the effect of an all-time communicator.

Much of our communication can fall foul of an ungracious manner of presentation. It may not be that what we say is wrong, but the way that we say it. That is why I believe that it is so important for us, in the present climate, to listen attentively to not only what our saviour says in the teaching that he expounds but, just as important, the voice with which he gives his message.

“‘The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,

Because He has anointed Me

To preach the gospel to the poor;

He has sent me to heal the broken hearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives

And recovery of sight to the blind,

To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.’

… So all bore witness to Him, and marvelled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth.”

It is surely undeniable that the effect on our saviour’s hearers was the consequence of not only what he said but, significantly, the way that he said it. What a communicator!

With what voice do we speak? Listen to the voice of Jesus :

“… and the sheep hear His voice, and the sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.”

Centuries ago, David the psalmist offered a prayer that we should echo:

“Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth: keep watch over the door of my lips”.

That prayer is needed today more than ever.

“A careless word may kindle strife

A cruel word may wreck a life:

A timely word may lessen stress,

A loving word may heal and bless.”

Lord, let us use our words to strengthen and encourage one another.

“No man ever spoke like this Man!”

Amen.