The Weapon of Words

The 5/22 verse is from Mat 5:22.  In the Message, verses 21-22 say this, "You're familiar with the command to the ancients, 'Do not murder.' I'm telling you that anyone who is so much as angry with a brother or sister is guilty of murder. Carelessly call a brother 'idiot!' and you just might find yourself hauled into court. Thoughtlessly yell 'stupid!' at a sister and you are on the brink of hellfire. The simple moral fact is that words kill."

In the verses above, Jesus is teaching his disciples.  I don't think anything He ever said was inconsequential or irrelevant to us, today.  If it was important enough for Him to teach, I think we should take notice and look inside ourselves to see what He might be trying to teach us.  This passage is talking to me.  Previously, I would have bet my life that committing murder would not be on my list of broken commandments.  I was wrong, according to what Jesus said.

You see, I've been known to mutter "idoit" under my breath occasionally, especially toward my fellow drivers.  I'm also notorious for borrowing Bill Engvall's "You can't fix stupid" phrase, when people really get on my nerves.  I'm not proud of either.  I used to rationalize using these words and phrases by thinking they weren't that bad, compared to the language some people use.   I can't use that as an excuse anymore.  My words come from the same kind of place uglier words come from....a dark heart.

When Jesus teaches that we are committing murder by even being angry with, or calling our brothers and sisters demeaning names, I think He is graciously saying something like, "Child, please look at your own heart.  How can you love your neighbor, your brother, or your sister, if you are feeling this way towards them?"  If we're honest with ourselves, we cannot.  Another part of me thinks Jesus is reminding me that my pride is, falsely, placing me in a superior position to the individual I am looking down upon.  I've come to realize that I'm just a mess when I think badly of someone and call them ugly names.

I use the "I" word far less, these days, than I used to.  But, I need God's help, daily, to help me love others the way He does, and to learn to use self-control so I will honor Him and others in the things I say and do.  I'm working on not throwing words around carelessly anymore and I'm thankful that Jesus has alerted me to my condition.  Now, I know that I don't have to use physical weapons, like guns or knives, to kill someone.  My heart, my mind, and my tongue are just as lethal as physical weapons.  My prayer, going forward,  is that God will help me use only words that bring life and love.  Not doing so could be deadly.