God, our heavenly father, we thank you for the gift of language. It enables us to communicate with each other and interpret many nuances of meaning. It also give us the power to develop ideas and to come up with new inventions. Through language we are able to predict future events and to take avoiding action when things go wrong.

Help us to realise that this gift can be abused if we deal in half-truths and seek to exert undue influence on other people. Give us the sensitivity to understand the perspectives of other people and to seek common ground in caring for the planet with which we have been entrusted.