“I’m not going to address the ungodly criticism that comes from unbelievers. Instead, my aim is to help us think carefully and biblically about how to handle the ungodly criticism that comes from godly people—that is, fellow saints indwelt by the Spirit and loved by Christ.
“In our church, we have been working through the book of Acts in our morning series, and the book of Nehemiah. Within a few weeks of each other, both books dealt with the same problem faced by godly leaders: rumors.” - P&D
“…conservatives also need to be able to say: It is despicable to call human beings ‘garbage.’ A cabinet secretary also shouldn’t be calling a governor an ‘idiot’ at a televised cabinet meeting. And I’d leave Kristi Noem’s comment about Tim Walz alone, if Trump hadn’t previously (Thursday, defending it on Sunday) insisted Walz is ‘retarded.’ We don’t talk about people like that.” - National Review
By Charlie Olson
Words matter. I’m sure that’s not a surprise to anyone reading this article. Throughout our lives, we either reap the benefits of wise words or the consequences of the wrong words. We’re graded on our words in school, our relationships are built or destroyed by our words, and most of us even see our careers impacted by our use of words. Far more important than all these is the knowledge that our words matter to God. The Bible has much to say about our words, their impact, and our responsibility with them.
One of the key Scriptures instructing us in this matter is Matthew 12:36-37 (ESV),
“Since the verb “gossip” could literally mean “to whisper,” I looked up “whisper” in Proverbs to add some thoughts. Then I added some further thoughts from Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the New Testament. So, here are some word-study-guided reminders from the Bible about our speech.” - David Huffstutler
“Isn’t it interesting that the man that Jesus rebukes for speaking Satan’s words is the man who rebukes Ananias for speaking Satan’s words.” - P&D
“Now, years later, I recognize that this type of warm, large-hearted thankfulness for fellow Christians of a different stripe is a dominant characteristic of the godliest people I know.” - 9 Marks
“So what are we to do if we are to live informed lives without allowing ourselves to be drawn into foolish controversies in which we have no responsibility from God to involve ourselves?” - Nick Batzig
“It doesn’t bother me that someone who doesn’t know me would make such a ridiculous claim regarding my faith. The incident, however, did make me think of how many times Christians have hurt the cause of Christ on social media. …Allow me to suggest a few tips that might be helpful for ministering effectively online:” - Tim McKnight
Most Bible students are aware of a seeming contradiction in the Bible, one that is pretty easily resolved. The verses (ESV) are Proverbs 26:4-5,
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.
