“You mustn’t testify falsely—that is, bear false witness against your neighbor” (Ex.20:16). “Instead, we will speak the truth in love” (Eph.4:15).
Dear Jesus, have mercy Lord, have mercy on me. For years now, we been subjected to a steady flow of extreme, exaggerated expression—so much so, we’re becoming numb to it, even okay with it. Though it goes all the way back to the devil lying about you in Eden, our generation has taken it to new heights—make that depths.
Instead of a passionate commitment to obey the 9th Commandment of 10 in your Word (Do not bear false witness) we have turned the American 1st Amendment into a green card to say anything, anytime, anywhere. But as those who know and love you, we should be different, Jesus. We are to speak the truth in love—always and everywhere. This doesn’t mean we don’t raise our voices, but it does mean we seek to honor you with everything we say, and how we say it.
Jesus, American politics aside—I’m thinking (convicted) about how we break the 9th Commandment speaking about one another as your followers, and how we speak to one another as your beloved.
Bold, brazen slander is an evil thing. But marginalizing others by labels, characterizing people by one-liners, misrepresenting a whole person by a small portion of their story, life, convictions—these things dishonor you too, Jesus. I’m thinking of my own words recently spoken in conversations with friends. “Not Reformed enough,” “Too touchy-feeling Charismatic for me,” “Moving in a hyper-liturgical direction,” “A bit loosey-goosey about the Bible,” “Totally bought into the Christian-nationalism cult.”
Abbreviated language is one thing, but summarizing a fellow image bearer of God by a few words or phrases isn’t speaking the whole truth in love. All of these phrases sound like I’m better, smarter, more godly, and more pleasing to you than others. Forgive me, Jesus.
But of greater concern to me, Jesus, is not only labeling by words, but how we can label and brand others by our thoughts. Nobody is only “too sensitive” and “insecure.” No one “always misses my heart” or is “completely clueless.” No one ever deserves to be defined in our minds as “total loser,” “never gonna get it,” or “such-a-disappointment to me and everybody.” You get the final word on all of us, Jesus, and the words you speak to us today are mercy, grace, kindness, and hope. Forgive and free us. So Very Amen.
