Consider Your Speech

James 1:26 "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless"

Titus 3:1-2 "Remind the people to be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no on, to be peaceable and considerate, and to show true humility to toward all men."

I was reading a well respected web site yesterday and found several book reviews on the site. One was discussing a modern theologian that I have had real disagreement with in the past few years, so it peaked my interest. The book review appeared academic at first, but then I found it was a bit sarcastic and mocking. Since I disagree with this theologian, I found myself laughing at the review and thinking it was great, at first. Then I went to the other book reviews and found a review of a book written by a good friend who is very faithful in the ministry. All of the sudden these reviews stopped being so funny. I thought about my responses for awhile yesterday and came to the conclusion that I am not as careful with my tongue as I should be.

The way we speak of others if very important to our souls and others. Even if we think we are just being funny, but are putting others down we have crossed a line. It would have been fine for the reviewer of these books to point out truth and error. It would have even been faithful. However, when we point out what we think to be error in a degrading way it is wrong. It puffs up and makes us feel self-righteous, while tearing apart the other. In the same manor I was not showing humility toward all men when I found his put downs funny. Peoples theological errors should not be laughing matters. Slander is very dangerous, we must all guard against enjoying it in any fashion.

We live in a day and age where speaking truth and error is not vogue, but to speak of opinions and emotions is the thing. Instead of examining if someone is right or wrong, we examine how they make us feel and whether we like them or not because of it. We often speak of peoples tones, rather than discussing the substance of what they have said. And we end up attacking people, instead of defending truth. I am learning the old lesson that I am better served to keep my opinions quiet, for it is the opinions of Scripture, truth, that matter.