GUILTY OF MURDER

 By Angela Miles

If you turn on the news and listen for about fifteen minutes, I can almost guarantee that there will be a report of someone taking another person’s life. Murder seems to be on the rise and the respect of life seems to be fading. Compassion for others is diminishing daily. It saddens us each time we hear about another school or street shooting. We listen to the newscast and then get angry at the person or persons who committed the murder. But did you know that you are also a murder? You have also placed yourself in a situation where you too can be judged for murder.

In Matthew 5:22, Jesus warns us about calling someone a fool, or any type of name that demeans or tears them down. When we tear someone down with our words, we are speaking from an angry place, or thinking that the person is beneath you so you show them contempt.

When we speak negatively about a person, when we use our words to tear someone down, even if we believe that they deserve our comments, we are using the same anger that initially takes root in the heart of a murder. Someone did or said something that angered you and you used your words to denigrate that person so that you could feel better.

If words are required, let them be words of prayer for the person. A mature person would either try to find something positive to say about the situation or person or simply say nothing at all.

My question is, who have you murdered recently? Something to think about.

I’m just saying…