" SLANDER AND REPROACH "

Greetings All,

Well here we are again, another week has come and gone. I'm always grateful to see you, those of you who have proven yourselves faithful week end and week out. Today's subject is one that we ought to take a serious look into. How easy is it for us to fight back with our mouth and not engage our brains? Some of us are very good at verbal warfare, but I caution you to be mindful of your words.

" let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with allmalice " (Eph. 4:31). Making up and spreading false information is strictly forbidden by God. Gossip, Slander, and False Witnessing can undermine families, and over all strain community and neighborhood participation etc. Destructive gossip can and will always cause problems. Even if you do not initiate a lie, you will become liable if you pass it along. Don't circulate rumors; squelch them.

Have you ever been falsely accused or so badly hurt that you wanted revenge? Slanderous accusations can possibly make us do or say things that are out of the norm. Instead of taking matters into our own hands and striking out, we might just call out to the Lord for justice.

OK, understand this, the proper response to slander is prayer, not revenge, because God says so, " Vengeance is mine, I will repay " : Listen, Instead of striking back, ask God to take your case, bring justice, and restore your reputation.

When we truly follow God, he rewards our effort.

By hating another person you may become a liar or a fool. If you try to conceal your hatred, you end up lying. If you slander the other person and are proven wrong, you are a fool. The only way out is to admit your hateful feelings to God. Ask Him to change your heart, to help you love instead of hate. " A perverse man spreads strife, and a slander separates intimate friends " (Prov. 16:28). Words are powerful, and how you use them reflects on your relationship with God. Perhaps nothing so identifies Christians as their ability to control their speech-speaking the truth, refusing to slander, and keeping promises. Watch out for what you say.

Until Next Time...
Jim