Day 9 - The Slandering Tongue

Day 9 – The Slandering Tongue

“To hide hatred is to be a liar; to slander is to be a fool.” Pro 10:18

Slanderers make malicious, rude, false and even true statements about a person in an effort to hurt them, degrade a person’s reputation or besmirch someone’s good name. We generally think about political rivals slandering each other during campaign season. But others are tempted to slander. God is very clear where slanderers won’t reside:

“Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from this heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman.” Psalm 15:1-3

Have you slandered? I know I have and am ashamed to admit it. It always goes back to checking your motive. Did you slander someone to make yourself feel better? Did the person hurt or question your character in some way causing you to retaliate? I pray for strength when I hear criticism as my first instinct is to defend myself, then to denigrate the person who is criticizing me.

The roots are so deep in me that I generally don’t realize what is happening until I reflect later on what was said to the person. I do my best to apologize to the person and to ask forgiveness—but it doesn’t always happen. The best defense is to not engage in this type of talk in the first place!

When we resort to slander it shows we haven’t embraced God’s promises. God has promised to prosper us and exalt us in His time, in His way. Psalm 75:6-7. There is no reason to try to place yourself above anyone, to not be a team player. In Isaiah, God tells us that no man can stop His plan for our lives, “The Lord Almighty has spoken—who can change his plans? When his hand moves, who can stop him? “ Isa 14:27

Do not sow the seed of evil words, you will reap what you sow. It is a painful lesson to learn and I can see where it has affected my life. Your affirmation today is one of my favorite scriptures:

I refuse to be a slanderer. I will use Philippians 4:8 as my guide. Whatever things are true, noble, pure, just, lovely, and of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy about someone, I comment only on these things.