Sergio Garcia

No, he did not actually say that, but if he could sum up the last 24 hours he probably would put it that way.  By now, you may have heard that he made what has been interpreted as a racial slur against Tiger Woods.  While analysts, black and white, are split as to whether Garcia's remarks about Woods being served fried chicken are offensive, those remarks have created quite the news story.  Woods reportedly found the remark "wrong, hurtful, and clearly inappropriate." The occasion for Garcia's remarks was a lighthearted moment during an awards dinner in Virginia Water, England.   Not only that, but there has been an escalating bout of bad blood between the two golfers that has gone back and forth. Yet, as of this writing, that one remark could possibly cost him his sponsorship from TaylorMade-Adidas.

 

Certainly, you and I do not find ourselves before an open mic with the world as a stage.  We live out our lives in relative anonymity.  Those of us who preach and teach have a slightly larger audience than other Christians, but there is a whole other group of onlookers and spectators.  They are coworkers, classmates, neighbors, acquaintances, strangers, brethren, family, and God.  The latter keeps a record of what we say (Mat. 12:36-37).  The rest may be drawn to or pushed away from Christ as the result of what we say.  So, both testaments and most Bible books include warnings about the powerful influence of the tongue.

 

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue..." (Prov. 18:21a).  "In all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach..." (Ti. 2:7-8a). "Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person" (Col. 4:6).  On and on, in many different ways, Scripture warns us to guard our tongues (cf. Ps. 141:3).  Whether our actual speech or our "virtual" speech, the summation is simply, "Watch your words!"

 

Neal Pollard