“If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.” (Isaiah 58:9-10)

A year ago this time, we had just begun what would later come to be known as The 4 C’s Fast

The focus for this Fast came from the verses you just read.

To be more precise, it came from the very first line.

“The pointing finger and malicious talk.”

It was in some ways a total surprise that the Holy Spirit would highlight these six words.

In the context of the entire passage, they seem incidental.

After all, the emphasis of the Fast is on doing justice and acts of mercy.

However, it was tough to ignore the reference to the finger and the talk.

Could it be because when we focus on justice issues, we tend to point fingers and engage in malicious talk?

Over the past 30+ years of serving in a denomination that is known for its commitment to social justice, I have certainly seen and heard both in copious quantities!

However, the truth is that you don’t have to be around social justice activists to experience the pointing finger and malicious talk.

Just sit around a group of people at a coffee shop such as Tim Horton’s in Canada. You will have to conclude that without both of these elements, the silence would be deafening!

Some of us may not even need to leave home. Just hanging around our families should do it 🙂

Sorry to say this, but if a camera crew had been following me during the waking hours of a typical day a year ago, they would have gathered substantial evidence to secure a conviction on both counts L

Sulojana and I are pleased to report that there has been a noticeable change in both of us over the past year.

Not only in us, but also among the members of our congregations.

We chose to refrain from The 4 C’s–Criticizing, Condemning, Complaining and Comparing.

It should not surprise you to hear that the Holy Spirit has been moving in our midst with greater power than ever before.

At a Pastors’ Conference last January, a speaker recalled how he had asked Bill Johnson, Senior Pastor of Bethel Church in Redding, California to pinpoint one thing they did that was responsible for the ongoing revival in their church.

Bill pointed to a decision they made to fast from all negativity.

No pointing fingers. No malicious talk.

Instead they started teaching and practising a culture of honour.

That was the distinguishing mark. The tipping point.

Wow!

The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 4:29-30: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”

Is he pointing out a link between unwholesome talk and grieving the Holy Spirit?

Ouch!

That in itself should motivate us to make a conscious attempt to eliminate the pointing finger and malicious talk from our repertoire, amen?

Would you make a commitment to do so for the next 21 days? Beginning today.

You too will discover that “your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday.”

Please do not let the pointing finger and malicious talk keep you from advancing toward your destiny.