Use Your Voice

What does it take to speak up? Very few of us talk simply for the sake of filling the silence. When I lead a Bible study or other group discussion, I have noticed that when a person decides to say something, there is typically an emotion behind it. Excitement, nervousness, fear, and even anger can be an undercurrent behind a person’s words. We speak because we want to be heard by others and make connections with one another. That sort of desire always comes with a bit of vulnerability, and hope that our words stir up a similar emotion in others.

But what stops us from speaking? So many of us were trained from an early age that we need to raise our hands and wait our turn in order to speak, a method that has probably always seen mixed results of success. Many children are taught to not interrupt, which is healthy advice. When grownups get together, some kids are taught to not speak at all, which is perhaps less healthy. Social pressures can keep your voice locked away. You may feel that your opinion has little value or that it isn’t your place to speak up. You may feel that you need to wait your turn, and then you wait so long that time runs out.

 The first time my oldest daughter stood up for herself was on our way out of the grocery store. Her vocabulary was barely in the double digits, but when I pulled her out of the toddler seat of our shopping cart, she mustered all her willpower to add a new word to her list. With calm indignation she said, “Shoe.” She repeated her one-word plea a few times with increased intensity until I looked at her feet and realized her shoe had fallen off when I took her out of the cart. She used her voice and received justice, however small.

 A recent study of 2,000 Norwegian adults found that among climate activists, anger is the strongest predictor of self-reported activism and policy support.  It was strongest in women and younger people, two groups who have been traditionally kept out of the conversation. Sometimes, it takes a strong emotion to break the dam of silence.

Silence is wonderful for contemplation, especially in worship, but there is one portion of our worship that does not need to remain so quiet anymore. At St. Mark, we pastors lead the prayers of the people, which includes naming everyone on the prayer list. For years, we have concluded that list with something along the lines of “…and all those we name within the silence of our hearts.” You may have noticed a slight shift in that invitation this summer: “…And all those we name out loud or in the silence of our hearts.”

Those additional two words, “out loud” are a small encouragement for you to speak up; however, to my knowledge no one has taken us up on it. Who in your life needs prayer? Say their names. Who is sick or hurting and in need of God’s grace? Use your voice. Talk to God. You may even receive support from those around you, or remind them of dear members in our community who need their prayers. Speak those names with hope, nervousness, and even anger. Speak up and seek justice from our God of mercy.

Peace,

Pastor Chad McKenna