Talk nicely!

Slander: to make false and damaging statements about someone. We see it in the news and on Facebook every day. But even if we're unlikely to be passive-aggressive, we could still be taking part in slander. Like when we're not exactly lying about someone, but we're selecting only negative bits of their personality to talk about. What does that look like? An example... Say we have a friend and we don't like the fact that they are often late. And when others talk about that person, we always bring that point up in jest. Eventually our friend's flaw becomes the main thing we think about when we think of them. So even when someone compliments them, we're quick to jump in with: 'Oh, but have you noticed that they're always late?'

The solution here isn't an easy 'say nice words instead' fix. Jesus said that 'the mouth speaks what the heart is full of' (Luke 6:45 NIV), meaning that if we have a critical heart, then critical words are going to be what comes out.

Searching for the best in others takes work and time readjusting what our brain looks for. But it is worth it. God knows what makes people work well together, so he'll help if we ask him.



So what now? What's your first reaction when you find out something negative about someone? Check your reaction against the list of the fruits of the Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23), and see how it holds up. Bottom line: talk nicely!





— SCRIPTURE —

'Whoever spreads slander is a fool.' Proverbs 10:18 NKJV
— SOULFOOD —

Zech 9-11, Mark 14:32-42, Ps 3, Pro 24:23-25