Matthew 26:73

The Language Of The Kingdom

Thy speech bewrayeth thee. Matthew 26:73.

Many years ago a young girl went from Aberdeenshire to London to get music lessons from a famous master. She was eager over her work, but inclined to feel lonely. One Sunday evening some friends took her to Union Chapel, Islington. There came into the pulpit the late Dr. George MacDonald, the novelist and preacher. His voice came to her like a breath of air from her native hills, for although an educated man and a poet, he spoke with an accent that is easily recognized in any part of the world. His was the voice of a man who came from the north-west of Aberdeenshire.

His speech betrayed him.

Peter came from the highlands of Palestine; he was a “highlander.” When did you ever meet a highlander who could leave his accent behind him? Peter could never hide anything. He could hide neither his joy, nor his sorrow, nor his anger; least of all could he hide his native accent.

Everywhere men are betrayed by their speech. Even to old age, some little trick of tongue acquired in childhood reveals them. You can tell, too, whether your companions are happy or miserable by the way they speak, can't you? It is so with nearly every living thing. On bright summer mornings, you know that the birds are happy. They sing as if they wanted all the world to know of their happiness. And have you ever had to listen to the cry of a bird who had had its nest plundered? Poor little sorrowful singer!

Near my home is an open space where children come to play. There are a great number of stones which have been carted and left there by some builder. The children play at building houses. As a rule, they are very happy. But sometimes they quarrel. Their loud voices tell me. The passers-by, too, know what the sounds mean; and they think “what a pity!” You boys and girls know the playground better than I do. One boy is angry you can tell by his voice at once; another wants to rule, and he shouts with all his might because his comrades will not listen. An observant person would get a very fair idea of the general tone of your school simply by listening during the play-hour. Even your school has its language.

The Kingdom of Heaven has a language all its own. What is it like? We know what it is like because Jesus spoke it when He was on earth. He was gentle, He was lowly. He loved others better than Himself. He spoke the language not only in words but in deeds. And deeds often speak louder than words. There is a clever saying I wonder if you know it? “I cannot hear what you say, what you are speaks so loud.” That just means that our deeds tell even more truly than our words what is in our hearts. There is another wise old saying, “What is nearest the heart comes soonest out,” so if our hearts are pure and true and brave and loving, then our words and our actions will be pure and true and brave and loving too. Heart and words and deeds will all speak the language that Christ spoke the language of the Kingdom.

How shall we get the kind of heart that will make it easy for us to speak the language of the Kingdom? Well, you all know that if you admire anyone very much and are much in his company you unconsciously imitate him. You can't help wanting to be like that person and so, almost without knowing it, you copy him. That is just the way to learn the language of the Kingdom. Get to really know and love Christ. The rest will be easy, much easier than learning French, or Latin, or Greek, or any other language. There will be no verbs to construe, no nouns to decline, no syntax to grind. And there is only one rule to learn. It governs everything. It is the golden rule called Love.