URC Daily Devotion Thursday 4 September 2025

Proverbs 16: 20-24

Those who are attentive to a matter will prosper,
    and happy are those who trust in the Lord.
The wise of heart is called perceptive,
    and pleasant speech increases persuasiveness.
Wisdom is a fountain of life to one who has it,
    but folly is the punishment of fools.
The mind of the wise makes their speech judicious,
    and adds persuasiveness to their lips.
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Reflection

It’s not often I feel sorry for Peter Mandelson but can you imagine serving as the UK’s ambassador to Mr Trump? What feats of diplomacy are needed?  The sweet words of flattery, in the national interest, would stick in the throats of lesser mortals like me.

Small islands have become more adept at diplomacy in recent years (some, even with Mr Trump and his policies).  Joining regional groupings, assisting with disaster relief, and appearing in a range of different organisations, they  prove their worth on the international stage.  This summer Orkney hosted the 25th Island Games – a sort of mini olympics for small islands.  We hosted 2,500 people from all over the world – from as far south as the Falklands, as far north as Greenland, as far east as Saaremaa (in Estonia)  and as far west as the Cayman Islands.  Friends from our north westerly neighbours in the Faroes both competed and took copious notes as they are hosting the Games next time.  

This “paradiplomacy” is something I think the URC is rather good at.  On the world stage we are tiny yet have provided more than our fair share of key people in the World Council of Churches with members of the Central Committee and with Susan Durber now as one of the Presidents.  Our work in the Council for World Mission is similarly impressive and opens our eyes to places and perspectives we’d not otherwise know about.  We have provided many presidents of the Free Church Federal Council and of Churches Together in England.  We pull above our weight and, despite our dreams of greater union coming to nothing, can be agile and willing to use sweet pleasant words as honey in a bitterly divided world.  Locally, we are often at the heart of ecumenical groupings and are involved in a large number of ecumenical partnerships.  In doing this we, like small islands, bring many gifts and perspectives to the table in wise, judicious, speech.

Prayer

Eternal God,
You ask for dialogue and debate
not division and destruction.
Help us to keep on talking and sharing,
learning and discovering,
living and working together,
that not only Your Church but Your world may be one.
Amen