SPEAKING EVIL ABOUT AND JUDGING OTHERS

The world would be a better place if we didn’t speak in an evil manner against others, or be judgmental.  In principle, every ‘nice’ person agrees with that statement.  But, have you considered why it’s true? 

First, it’s true because speaking evil and judging are unchristian.

In the New Testament, the Greek word for ‘speak evil’ is often translated: slander.  Did you know that in the Greek, the same word is used for devil?  When we use our tongue or carry that attitude about someone else, we are more like the devil than we are like Jesus.

If our faith states that Jesus is God’s Son, then our lives ought to resemble His life. 

Second, speaking evil and judging are unloving.

Look at these verses from the Bible:

“Evil words destroy one’s friends”  Proverbs 11:9

“A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends”      Proverbs 16:28

Here is a verse to live by:

“Don’t use foul or abusive language.  Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Ephesians 4:29 NLT

Christians ought to be known for their encouragement, not their criticism

This is an area that every one of us has to deal with- a critical attitude, being judgmental.  It’s not hard to find fault with somebody.  We can all do that.

The greater challenge is to always look for the good.  Mother Teresa said,

“How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony.”    Psalm 133:1 NLT

Third, speaking evil and judging are unwise

It’s unwise for me to judge you because I have my own stuff to deal with, and it’s very often worse than your stuff.  Look at what Jesus said,

“And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own.”  Matthew 7:3 NLT

Often the humor of the first century Hebrew culture was expressed through exaggeration.  When someone would exaggerate, the crowd would laugh.

When Jesus said, “One guy has a speck of saw dust in his eye and his friend has a piece of firewood in his.”

The crowd would have said, “Ha, that was a good one Jesus.” 

Or, when Jesus said, it’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a person with a lot of money to make it into heaven.” 

The crowd would have roared, “You’re killin’ us, Lord!” 

Jesus wants us to know that we should be busy with our own issues, rather than judging someone else.

Judging and speaking evil about others is unwise because we don’t know as much as we think we know. There are always three sides to a story:  yours, mine and God’s.  Of those three, who has ALL the facts?

You can only see WHAT I Do, but can you see WHY?

Do you know what’s in my heart?  Can I know what’s in yours?  NO! 

That’s why only God can judge, because only God can see what’s in the heart.  Heck, I have enough trouble trying to figure out my own motives sometimes, much less trying to guess yours. 

The world would be a better place if we would encourage more, criticize and judge less.