Bible Month Magazine: Supplementary Material
Week Three: Speech and Wisdom (Week 3)
Reflecting on Scripture through Art
In the week 3 ‘Small group’ material, the suggestion of ‘Exploring Scripture through Art’ encourages group members to read James 3:1 – 4:12 alongside artist Ric Stott’s painting, ‘Mechanisms of Injustice’.
The painting can be viewed at the artist’s own blog; If you right-click on the painting and select ‘view image’, this will take you to a larger image of it that could be used for projection.
Ric Stott’s own reflection on the painting can also be viewed on his blog, but we suggest that the following three paragraphas might be particularly helpful in providing a background to the painting;
Some issues feel too big and are so overwhelming that my temptation is to turn away and do anything to distract myself from the responsibility we all share in the way our increasingly interconnected world crushes those least able to speak out. We live at a time where 1 in every 122 people in the world is a refugee or is internally displaced and morethan 3,700 refugees are thought to have died crossing the Mediterranean in 2015.
I don’t even know where to begin with this abhorrent story of our planet. This is why I’m grateful for the likes of Rachel Lampard, Vice President of the Methodist Church and her call to engage not in the sentimental manner of a hand wringing do-gooder, but with a strong, focussed and informed approach that respects all human beings as people to work alongside and not objects for us to do things to. I commend her speech to the Methodist Conference this year that you can read here.
There are cogwheels in this image, the mechanisms of injustice that I am a part of. In the way I live, in the products I buy, in my silence and inaction I am complicit in systems that oppress the poorest in our world, that lead to the displacement of humanity from their homes. I am complicit in racist systems and systems that discriminate against those who are disabled. The complex web of interconnections in the world mean that my actions and your actions have consequences that ripple across continents.
(taken from
To download a PDF of the ‘Holiness and Justice’ booklet that includes Ric Stott’s paintings, go to You can order copies of the booklet at
Prayers from Adult & All Age
The following prayers are from ROOTs (issue 61, Sep/Oct 2012),
Call to worship
Come, let us use our tongues and voices to praise and
worship God.
We will bridle our tongues so that only praise pours forth!
OR
Call to worship
From what the world calls wisdom,
let us turn our eyes to the wisdom that comes from above.
Let us seek God’s wisdom as we praise and glorify
the Lord’s name.
Gathering prayer
The Lord says,
‘The beginning of wisdom is the most sincere desire for instruction.
Therefore be instructed by my words, and you will profit.’
Be with us, Lord, as we meet in your name.
May your word speak to us.
Amen.
A prayer of confession
Lord, you have given us the gift of speech,
but we have not always used it wisely.
We have cursed and condemned our fellow human beings,
and committed sin of every shade.
Forgive us for failing in our responsibility
to use the gift of speech well, and help us to mend our ways.
Amen.
OR
A prayer of confession
We confess that we want to be worldly-wise;
street-wise, smart, no-flies-on-us sort of wise.
We want to succeed, to outsmart, to conquer.
We like to compete, beat others into submission.
But this is not your kind of wisdom, God.
You ask us to work together to build a better world;
and your kind of submission is altogether different.
When we make our opponents submit,
we knock them out of the game.
But you, Lord, invite us to yield to your gentleness,
so that we may join with you.
We like to build our little kingdoms,
but your kingdom alone shall reign, O God.
Amen.
A prayer of thanksgiving
Thank you, Lord, for making us think.
Thank you for showing us another way.
Just when we thought we had it all sussed out,
you came to teach us a better way.
Thank you for the wisdom that comes from above.
Thank you for all your heavenly love.
Amen.
OR
A prayer of thanksgiving
Lord of the Word,
thank you for the gift of speech,
for this incredible asset that allows us to communicate.
With the gift of speech, we can tell others how we feel;
we can pass on to them the things we have learned.
Help us to use this gift responsibly
for, with lack of wisdom, it becomes a double-edged sword.
Thank you for helping us to choose our words wisely.
Amen.
A way into prayer
Show pictures of horses being controlled, and ships at sea,
and intersperse with James 3.3 and 3.4.
A prayer for the world
Lord, we pray for the world;
for people so wrapped up in their own affairs
that they scarcely notice you.
We pray for all who are borne along on the tides
of the ways of the world,
and particularly for those who are
drowning in the clamour of it all.
We pray for all who swim against the tide;
who bravely stand up and
declare another kind of wisdom to the worldly-wise.
Lord, we bring the world before you.
Amen.
A personal prayer
Make me a fool, Lord, so that I may be wise.
Let the rat race exhaust me,
so that I may be refreshed by your wisdom.
Let me be beaten by the ways of this world,
so that I may be victorious in the ways of your kingdom.
Let me submit to you, as a child melts into a parent’s arms.
Amen.
OR
A personal prayer
Sometimes, Lord, I think I know it all;
all lessons learned, complete self-control.
Then something happens, and I lose it;
my tongue runs away with me.
Words of anger and vitriol pour from my mouth;
my tongue lashes out like a viper.
Change me from within, O God,
so that good things trip from my tongue.
Amen.
A prayer for all ages together
God of wisdom, show us the world through your eyes.
Help us to be wise.
God of understanding, show us the view from above.
Please teach us how to love.
Amen.
OR
A prayer for all ages together
To be said by two groups of voices.
A What are our mouths for?
B They are not for speaking unkind words!
A What are our tongues for?
B They are not for sticking out in cheek!
A Our mouths are for helping and encouraging each other.
B Our tongues are for praising God.
Please give us wisdom, Lord,
to use our mouths and tongues as we should.
Amen.
A sending out prayer
Lord, send us out with awareness:
awareness of how we use the gift of speech;
awareness of what a word can do, for evil or for good.
Grant us the ability to exercise self-control,
and to live responsibly.
Amen.
OR
A sending out prayer
As we go to face the world once more,
go with us, Lord.
In all our dealings this week,
be with us, Lord.
Grant us wisdom in all we say and do.
Stay with us, Lord.
Amen.
Prayers from Children & Young People
The following prayers are from ROOTs (issue 61, Sep/Oct 2012),
Gathering prayer
Loving Lord,
may we hear your voice in what one another says,
and speak your words of love to one another
as we meet in your presence today.
Amen.
OR
Gathering prayer
Open our hearts and minds, dear Lord,
to understand what your wisdom is.
Amen.
A prayer of thanks
Lord of wisdom and grace,
we thank you that you are wise enough
to know everything about us,
and gracious enough
to love us anyway.
Amen.
A prayer of praise
Eternal God,
you spoke, and creation came into being.
Light came from dark and order came from chaos.
Generous God, you sent your Son
to be our living Word.
He spoke into our darkness and chaos
and light poured in.
We praise you, God.
Amen.
A prayer for wisdom
God of wisdom,
show us how to be wise,
replace our selfishness with kindness,
change our jealousies to mercy,
and may our lives seek to bring peace
to others,
and glory to you.
Amen.
A prayer of commitment
Living Word,
you have given us life and love
through your promises to us.
Help us to pass on those precious gifts
through what we say to others.
Amen.
A prayer of thanks
Sing for joy! Shout your praise!
Whisper what God has done today.
Cheer for him, laugh out loud,
tell the world he makes us proud.
Father God, your words are true,
we’ll use our voices now for you.
A sending out prayer
Loving God,
help us to say words that help,
words that encourage
and words that bring joy
to each conversation this week.
Amen.
OR
A sending out prayer
God of wisdom,
give us wisdom so that we might honour you each day.
Make us merciful towards those who need help.
Make us peacemakers where there is trouble.
Make us gentle where there are harsh words.
Make us ready to listen for your gentle words.
Amen.