James 4:11–12 (ESV) —
11 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
NOTE: In chapter one, James challengers the brothers to be doers of the law and not hearers. Here he lays out the other issue of people who are not doers, they become judges. And only God is the lawgiver and judge. Slander is a form of judgment. Speaking behind a person's back in a negative way is a form of slander. When we slander, we act as judges, and not doers of the law.
My focus needs to be on doing the law and not judging those who, in my eyes, fail to do the law (or the right thing). I can be pretty quick to judge leadership styles, but that does my leadership no good if I am attacking others. It effectively reduces my ability to lead, because slander is not a good look. It will ruin my witness.
PONDER:
- Who have I slandered recently?
- Who have I spoken of negatively behind their back?
PRAYER: Father, help me to see when I speak evil against another. Reveal my sin. I want to be a doer of the law, not just a hearer, and not a judge.
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