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The Eighth Commandment |
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You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor
What does this mean for us?
We are to fear and love God so that we do not betray, slander, or lie about our neighbors, but defend them, speak well of them, and explain their actions in the kindest way.
Prayer
Dear God, help us listen to you, be in touch with your love, and say nothing but the kindest possible things about everyone, for the sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Dear God, help us listen to you, be in touch with your love, and say nothing but the kindest possible things about everyone, for the sake of Jesus our Lord. Amen.
Commentary by Pastor David G. Mullen
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This commandment points us to a deep, deep truth: no matter how bad the other person seems to us, no matter what it is they’ve done, any judgment we render on them is either a betrayal, slander, or a lie. Why? Because we do not ever know the full truth about another human being. We have not plumbed the depths or the complexity of the other. And therefore, our negative opinions of others serve not useful purpose, but only contribute to the misery of the world.
“If you can’t say something good about someone, don’t say anything at all.”