“Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” — Proverbs 18:21
We are living through a time of fracture. Families estranged over politics. Friendships frayed by a single post. Congregations splintered by unspoken hurts. In such a world, where belonging feels fragile and disagreement feels dangerous, what if peace began—not in some grand geopolitical accord—but in how we speak to one another?
Our words are never neutral. They either deepen the wounds or begin to stitch them closed. They either calcify divides or open the possibility of return. In the Jewish tradition, the concept of lashon hara1 warns against speech that harms. It’s not just gossip or slander—it’s anything that unnecessarily diminishes another person. The rabbis taught that such speech doesn’t just wound the one spoken about. It harms the one who speaks and the one who listens, too. Three wounds from a single word.
In our modern lives, this kind of harm shows up in subtweets and sarcasm, in dismissive tones at the dinner table, in the need to “win” a conversation instead of understand a soul. It lives in our defensiveness, in our silence, in the sharp edge of our certainty.
But there are other ways. In the Buddhist tradition, the practice of “Right Speech” is one of the eightfold paths to liberation. It asks:
Is what I’m about to say true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?
If we paused long enough to ask those questions before we spoke—especially to those we love—how many fractures could be prevented? How many relationships could be restored?
We can disagree with dignity. We can debate without dehumanizing. We can name truth without burning bridges. But only if we are willing to do the inner work of humility, curiosity, and compassion. We begin by not expecting others to match our anger and start asking what sorrow lives beneath theirs.
Peace is not passive. It is forged in the fires of restraint. It is spoken into being with gentle strength. It begins in the small and sacred choice: to speak with care, to tone down our tempers, to leave space for the other to be human, to believe that no matter how far we’ve drifted, love still has the power to bring us home.
We are in this together,
Cameron
Reflection Questions
When have I used my words to wound, even unintentionally?
What relationship in my life feels fractured—and what might I say (or not say) to begin repair?
What practices help me soften my tone without compromising my truth?
A Prayer for the Day
The Tongue as a Tuning Fork
Holy One, Tune our tongues to love. When we speak, let our words not bruise but bless. When we listen, let our hearts not harden but open. Teach us the language of peace— not silence, but gentleness; not avoidance, but presence. In every sentence, make us instruments of healing. Amen.
Spiritual Practice
The Pause Before the Word
Today, practice Right Speech. Before responding in any heated or emotionally charged moment, pause and ask yourself:
Is it true?
Is it necessary?
Is it kind?
If it’s not all three, consider waiting or finding another way to express your truth. Try this even with text messages or emails. Give yourself—and the other person—the gift of your thoughtfulness.
Upcoming Events That Might Be of Interest…
September 21, 2025 - A Global Day of Listening - On the Global Day of Listening sponsored by my friends at the Pachamama Alliance, people across the world will pause—alone or together—to listen for the wisdom needed to meet this moment. By turning our attention to the Earth, to one another, and to what life is asking of us, we help seed a shift toward reverence and sacred responsibility. Sign up here.
October 18, 2025 - No Kings 2.0 Protest - Scholars of authoritarianism teach us that we need 3.5% of the population rising up to disrupt the rise of authoritarians. The last protest had over 6 million people in the streets in the US (more around the world) which was one of the largest protest in US history. We need to double that number. So here we go again. The movement builds. See you on the streets.
October 20-24, 2025 - FREE Online 5-Day Summit on “Made for These Times: Spiritual Leadership for a World in Crisis.” Political extremism. Climate collapse. Cultural fragmentation. People of faith across the globe are asking: How do we lead with clarity, courage, and compassion in a time like this? REGISTER HERE.
October 23, 30, November 13, 20 2025, 7pm ET - In Search of a New Story: Reimagining What Comes Next, A 4-Part Online Series with Dr. Matthew Fox, Cameron Trimble, Ilia Delio, Diana Butler Bass, Caroline Myss and Luther Smith. We are living through the unraveling of many old stories—about who we are, why we’re here, and how we are meant to live together on this Earth. As these inherited narratives collapse under the weight of climate crisis, social fragmentation, and spiritual disconnection, the question becomes clear: What story will guide us now? REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
NEW!!!!!!!! July 19-24, 2026 - Join me and my amazing co-facilitator, Victoria, on retreat in the back-country of beautiful Wyoming. The Art of Wilding is a 5-Day Expedition for Women Leaders. We will spend the week reconnecting to nature, exploring our inner landscapes for change, and engage the wisdom of spiritual teachings. Click here to learn more.
I drafted a Strategic Framework for Congregations as we move into the coming years of increased authoritarianism around the world. If interested, you can download it here.
If you are a leader or member of a congregation looking for consulting support in visioning, planning, hiring or staffing, please consider Convergence.
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/gossip-rumors-and-lashon-hara-evil-speech/
Amazing encouragement for a follower of Jesus. Thank you!
A beautiful and important message, Cameron. Thanks and blessing. In the contexts of this meditation and its own cultural and historical contexts, I would like to know more about your understanding behind the phrase ‘the fires of restraint’. In my own language, this feels oxymoronic.