12 Steps To Heaven: #4,  Don't Slander

Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?...

He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor…

Psalm 15:1, 3 (NKJV)

Slander is no less than a pandemic disease of the 21st century. Internet anonymity nurtures countless millions of open-mouthed monsters: 

  • Goliaths who strut around unopposed.*

  • Nasty bullies who hurl punch after punch.

  • Roaming gangs of thugs who take shots and laugh.

Each victim suffers merciless wounds. Attempts of self-defense are meaningless. Attempts at recovery are bandaids. Children, adults, and even businesses are substantially harmed. Some even die.

The ruination of reputation has become our ‘progressive’ world’s blood sport. Merciless spectators enjoy the games: the witness of public persecution…

  • “Did you see the post about...? It's crazy! OMG! How awful.” (They share the news.)

God hates slander:

  • ‘Whoever slanders his neighbor secretly I will destroy’ (Psalm 101:5)

In Paul's second letter to Timothy,** he describes the last days. Are we now there?

Actors, models, and talent for Christ:

Don't slander. Don't gossip. Don't spread evil. 

  • 'Rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips' (Colossians 3:8). Instead…

  • Become a generation of Davids.

After he was anointed by Samuel, David endured a lifetime of slander: from King Saul, his brothers, wife, sons, and friends:

  • 'When I stumbled, they gathered in glee; assailants gathered against me without my knowledge. They slandered me without ceasing' (Psalm 35:15).

Even so, David never slandered back. Instead, He remained loyal to his king, forgave his enemies, and trusted God to defend him– and turn all things for good.

Slander is the way of a fallen world… and will never be the way to Heaven. 

When you’re tempted to speak negative words about people, stop! Repeat David’s words:

'Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips' (Psalm 141:3).

12 Steps To Heaven: #4 Don’t Slander (Part 6)

* David brought down Goliath, but he couldn’t stop the vicious spread of rumors about himself. Read Psalm 35 to see the extent of David's persecution by the mouths of others: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=psalm%2035&version=NIV

** https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Timothy%203%3A1-7&version=NIV

NOTE: God is my Ghostwriter. If what I write is good, it’s from God. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings. Parts of this series are edits of a prior Carey Lewis Devotion series, first published in 2014.

Carey Arban