There was a situation that happened in our little local gas station one day. My Daddy had been working all day on the farm. He raised a garden and pigs, so it was hard work and after working all day in this one doesn’t really smell pleasant. Daddy needed some gas and still had work to do so he didn’t clean up, he just went and got gas. He went inside to pay and after leaving one of the customers decided to voice his opinion. He said, “I wish John wouldn’t come in here stinking like that.” Well, he was in earshot of my Daddy’s brother, Uncle Fred. This did not sit well with Uncle Fred and he let the man know. Among the things he said to the man, there is one thing he said that I’d like to share. He said, “John may be dirty on the outside, but you’re dirty on the inside.” What a profound and true statement this was. Now I want to take you through some scriptures and this may sound tough, but I truly am speaking out of love.
It says in 1 Samuel 16:7 KJV …for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
This is exactly what happened here, but how many times does this happen? Are you guilty of this? I’m sure you’re thinking, surely not. Have you ever shaken hands with someone and when they were out of earshot say something bad about them? Don’t dismiss that question and try to free yourself of guilt so easily. Really think about it and do a self examination. Do you have a habit of running people down?
Leviticus 19:16 EasyEnglish They must not speak bad words about other people. They must not do anything that would cause a man to die. I am the Lord.
Now you may be thinking that you wouldn’t cause someone to die. What if your words cause someone an offense that they can’t get over, then they walk away from God? That is a spiritual death that is far worse than a physical one.
Matthew 18:6 WEB but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to stumble, it would be better for him if a huge millstone were hung around his neck and that he were sunk in the depths of the sea.
That’s serious stuff.
You may think: “Well they need to take a bath, or they don’t need to be doing that, or they should be doing this.” Which do you think is worse? The thing that they are doing that irritates you or the issues you have in your heart that causes you to say these things?
Matthew 7:3-4 WEB 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but don’t consider the beam that is in your own eye? 4 Or how will you tell your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ and behold, the beam is in your own eye?
If you are constantly finding faults in others then you have a beam in your eye. You’re trying to fix others by talking about them, that doesn’t work. You know what does work? Pray for them. You can’t talk bad about someone you’re praying for. This is how you remove the beam out of your eye.
Do not fool yourself, if you are running someone down all the time you don’t love them. If you’re running everyone down you are having an issue loving anyone. The Word says in 1 John 4:20 KJV If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Well everybody does it. That doesn’t make it right. Follow these instructions from Romans 12:2 WEB Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.
Renew your mind to think differently. Rewire your thought process.
James 1:21 ISV Therefore, rid yourselves of everything impure and every expression of wickedness, and with a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls.
The Word planted in you can save your soul if you let it. Please let it. I tell you all this because I truly want to help you be free from these chains. Please consider what you have read and apply this to your life.
Proverbs 21:23 KJV Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.
James 3:10 ISV From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. It should not be like this, my brothers!