"Anyone who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins." - James 4:17
We have spent that last 324 days reading about the good we ought to do as well as reading stories of the consequences of those who failed to do the good they ought to have done. Today, in James 11, we read yet another bit of good instruction we ought to do, that we should put into practice:
"Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it."
It is so easy to be lulled into a false sense that I am not guilty of slander or guilty of speaking against my fellow brothers and sister (or judging them). After all, I believe I am simply stating facts and pointing out areas where others have failed, are weak, didn't meet expectations, irritated me, offended me, frustrated me, wronged me, accused me....I can go on but I will leave room for you to fill in other ways we can feel justified in speaking against others. After all, I am just venting and getting things off my chest and am choosing to do so in the presence of other believers.
James 11 goes hand in hand for me with Ephesians 4:29
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
We need to guard the words we speak, choose them with great thought and deliberation because our words are meant to help build up, not tear down, they are to benefit those who listen. If I am confronting or speaking directly against the person who I feel failed, accused me, or offended me, I must remember that while I may need to speak truth I must be careful to make certain I am speaking from a humble place and with a desire to help this person to grow and to build them up in their faith, their character, their service, their understanding and in our relationship. I need to make sure that the words I speak are meant to truly benefit them and not just satisfy my need to speak my mind or sooth my hurts. Equally important is for me to be careful when I am speaking about someone to others. I need to make sure that what I am sharing needs to be heard by those I am talking to. Am I building up the brother or sister I am talking about in the eyes of those listening to me speak or am I actually speaking against their character and causing someone to look at this person, who isn't even present, in a different negative light? Is this person, who is listening to me speak about another, benefiting from what I am saying? Am I displaying a character of grace, forgiveness, mercy, love, compassion, and self-control that they can learn and grow from and then display for others to benefit from?
The key is that I first need to humbly go before the lord and spend time with him in prayer and pour out to him my pride, my hurts, my irritations, my frustrations, my unmet expectations (disappointments), my feelings of offense and my heart that isn't desiring to forgive but rather feels justified. I need to pour it out and ask the Lord to show me, convict me if need be, any thought or feeling that can be used against a brother or sister. I need to pray that the Lord would make me aware of impure thoughts, feelings or attitudes that hinder me from displaying the Love of Christ. I need to pray and ask for the lord to fill my heart and mind with his grace and mercy, with his peace and patience, with his love and forgiveness. I need the lord to remind me of all the ways I have offended him, disobeyed him, or failed him yet he never fails to speak the truth to me in love so that I may be built up and benefit. When I first seek the lord I am less likely to talk about others to those I shouldn't be. When I first seek the lord I am more likely to approach the person with a heart of love and grace that builds up with my words rather than speaks against and tears down. When I first seek the lord I sometimes find that He is enough and perhaps my silence on a matter is the best way to handle the situation as perhaps the Lord is doing a work in that other person that I can not see.
May we all seek to do the good we are called to do today. May we be slow to speak against others but rather seek ways to build others up and ask the lord to help us know what the needs of others are so that we are a benefit to everyone we encounter.
We have spent that last 324 days reading about the good we ought to do as well as reading stories of the consequences of those who failed to do the good they ought to have done. Today, in James 11, we read yet another bit of good instruction we ought to do, that we should put into practice:
"Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law and judges it."
It is so easy to be lulled into a false sense that I am not guilty of slander or guilty of speaking against my fellow brothers and sister (or judging them). After all, I believe I am simply stating facts and pointing out areas where others have failed, are weak, didn't meet expectations, irritated me, offended me, frustrated me, wronged me, accused me....I can go on but I will leave room for you to fill in other ways we can feel justified in speaking against others. After all, I am just venting and getting things off my chest and am choosing to do so in the presence of other believers.
James 11 goes hand in hand for me with Ephesians 4:29
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
We need to guard the words we speak, choose them with great thought and deliberation because our words are meant to help build up, not tear down, they are to benefit those who listen. If I am confronting or speaking directly against the person who I feel failed, accused me, or offended me, I must remember that while I may need to speak truth I must be careful to make certain I am speaking from a humble place and with a desire to help this person to grow and to build them up in their faith, their character, their service, their understanding and in our relationship. I need to make sure that the words I speak are meant to truly benefit them and not just satisfy my need to speak my mind or sooth my hurts. Equally important is for me to be careful when I am speaking about someone to others. I need to make sure that what I am sharing needs to be heard by those I am talking to. Am I building up the brother or sister I am talking about in the eyes of those listening to me speak or am I actually speaking against their character and causing someone to look at this person, who isn't even present, in a different negative light? Is this person, who is listening to me speak about another, benefiting from what I am saying? Am I displaying a character of grace, forgiveness, mercy, love, compassion, and self-control that they can learn and grow from and then display for others to benefit from?
The key is that I first need to humbly go before the lord and spend time with him in prayer and pour out to him my pride, my hurts, my irritations, my frustrations, my unmet expectations (disappointments), my feelings of offense and my heart that isn't desiring to forgive but rather feels justified. I need to pour it out and ask the Lord to show me, convict me if need be, any thought or feeling that can be used against a brother or sister. I need to pray that the Lord would make me aware of impure thoughts, feelings or attitudes that hinder me from displaying the Love of Christ. I need to pray and ask for the lord to fill my heart and mind with his grace and mercy, with his peace and patience, with his love and forgiveness. I need the lord to remind me of all the ways I have offended him, disobeyed him, or failed him yet he never fails to speak the truth to me in love so that I may be built up and benefit. When I first seek the lord I am less likely to talk about others to those I shouldn't be. When I first seek the lord I am more likely to approach the person with a heart of love and grace that builds up with my words rather than speaks against and tears down. When I first seek the lord I sometimes find that He is enough and perhaps my silence on a matter is the best way to handle the situation as perhaps the Lord is doing a work in that other person that I can not see.
May we all seek to do the good we are called to do today. May we be slow to speak against others but rather seek ways to build others up and ask the lord to help us know what the needs of others are so that we are a benefit to everyone we encounter.
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