I’ve heard it said, “Only the church shoots it’s wounded” and over the years I’ve found that to be true. Listen to me y’all, we can be guilty of murder in the church. ” The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” (Proverbs 18:21)! While we may never “pull out a gun and pull the trigger,” we can still think and say things which kill our relationships with fellow Christians (Ephesians 4:25-32), and in turn kill our relationship with Abba Father ( Psalm 66:18 ).

  Sometimes it’s brought on by jealousy; well, let’s be honest, most times it’s brought on by jealousy. But pride is usually behind the jealousy and we all know what happens with pride. Pride comes before the fall! God lifts the humble but brings down the haughty (prideful).

  Long-lasting anger is bad; contemptuous speaking is worse, and the careless or the malicious talk which destroys a person’s good name is worst of all. Those who are the slaves of anger, who speak in the accent of contempt, or who destroy another’s good name (slander), may never have committed a murder in action; but they are murderers at heart” (William Barclay, “Words of Insult,” The Gospel of Matthew, Vol. 1, 163).

  The so called ‘church’, the religious can be the most cruel and uncaring people. Pointing fingers, accusing, back biting, gossip…it’s all there, inside the walls of the church! But ….that’s not the Church Jesus built! The Church He built was built on love, forgiveness, and mercy! “They will know you are My disciples by the love you have one for the other.” Tell me… where’s the love?

  James says the tongue is a weapon armed with the fire straight from the pits of hell.

  “Angry words are lightly spoken, bitt’rest tho’ts are rashly stirred, brightest links of life are broken by a single angry word. ‘Love one another,’ thus saith the Savior; children obey the Father’s blest command.‘Love one another,’ thus saith the Savior, children obey the blest command” (D. K. P., H. R. Palmer).

In His love,

Elizabeth

Postscript: 

Proverbs 6:16-19
Here are six things which the LORD hates,
Yes, seven which are an abomination (something He hates) to Him:
Haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
And hands that shed innocent blood,
A heart that devises wicked plans,
Feet that run rapidly to evil,
A false witness who utters lies,
And one who spreads strife among brothers.

Proverbs 26:24,25
He who hates disguises it with his lips,
But he lays up deceit in his heart.
When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,
For there are seven abominations in his heart.

A gossip has all seven of these abominations in his/her heart!