and a whisperer separates close friends.
The violent entice their neighbors,
and lead them in a way that is not good.
Proverbs 16:28-29
Somewhere, somehow, we must take a stand and protect the innocent from slander. There is so much slander, so much aloneness in this world, and so much depression resulting from it. It often comes from one source: the ego or maybe it would be more accurate to say the devil who resides within us. Those in whom the Spirit of Christ does not reside often attack their neighbors; their friends; their enemies unjustly, causing much chaos, pain, and sorrow. Standing idly by because you do not want to become involved or become the next target is not all that helpful. Rather, as most of us confess on Sunday mornings, we end up sinning by what we have not done; by not supporting and helping our neighbor in need. That is not to say that we should not confront sin. We should not support sin. We do need to confront those who would entice others in a way that is not good even while we support and protect those who are falsely accused.
We teach our children in Sunday School and in Confirmation classes that the eighth commandment; "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor." We also teach them as Luther taught that this means: "We should fear and love God so that we do not betray, slander, lie or gossip about our neighbors, but defend them, speak well of them and put the most charitable construction on all that they do." How soon we forget what we have learned!
May God help us to love our neighbors and not cause them to suffer any form of anguish because of our actions or inactions.
God's Peace - Pr. J
