“You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor” (Exodus 20:16).
This is the ninth commandment; one of a list of “thou shalt nots.”
Have you ever had a relationship with someone where you felt that you had to take what they said “with a grain of salt?” Maybe they are known to exaggerate or stretch the truth; maybe they have been caught in white lies; maybe you have to sift through too much extraneous information to get at what they are trying to communicate. What happens in those cases is that miscommunication can occur, and problems invariably result.
There are many references to our speech in the Bible. Verbal and written communication is foundational to our understanding as Christians. God spoke the world into existence. Jesus is the Word. God’s word is trustworthy.
Just as God’s word is trustworthy: “For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does” (Psalm 33:4), he also makes it clear that he expects our word to be trustworthy as well. James discourses on the power of the tongue (James 3:3-12). Three of the seven things that the LORD hates involve speech that is not trustworthy.“There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community” (Proverbs 6:16-19).
We know God because we can trust what He says. What He says reveals His character to us. We know each other by what we say. What we say reveals our character to each other. Sure, our actions may speak louder than words; but what is essential is that our words and our actions line up, and that they line up in obedience to God. That is the definition of integrity.
Paul gives us several instructions regarding our speech. First, we should consider what we should stop saying:
- “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips” (Colossians 3:8).
- “Therefore, each of you must put off falsehood” (Ephesians 4:25a).
- “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths” (Ephesians 4:29a).
- “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice” (Ephesians 4:31)
Then we should consider what we do communicate:
- “Speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body” (Ephesians 4:25b)
- “…but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen” (Ephesians 4:29b).
- “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
The very best advice I have tried to live by (imperfectly, but I am still working on it) is to weigh all my words and to try to say nothing except what would be beneficial to the person I am speaking with. If what I would say has the result of building myself up, whether it is obvious or backhanded, I am trying to just not say it. It has no value to the person I am speaking with. If what I say is critical or harmful to another, then I am trying to just leave it out of the conversation. It has no value to the person I am speaking with. “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15).
Let us strive to be people of integrity. Let us strive to be people who are sincere and who can be trusted in all that we say; to be people who speak only what is edifying to others. Let our reputation be that of one who’s word is his bond.
“A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11).
In Christ,
Judy
judycline 