Oh be careful little mouth what you say

Posted on December 29, 2015 Written by Mark McIntyre 1 Comment

Can we be honest and admit that sometimes it seems to be a chore to read through the regulations in the opening books of the Bible. But every once in a while (perhaps less often than it should) I find a connection that makes the reading seem worth while. For example, this morning I read this:

“You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.” (Exodus 23:1-3)

As I read these verses I thought of how easily I can “follow the masses” in esposing an opinion on something that I have not researched myself. We must keep in mind that every news organization has an agenda. That agenda may be nothing more sinister than selling papers or gaining ratings. Some news outlets try harder than others to be fair, but we cannot assume that anyone is completely neutral in what they present.

Too many times we have found out that those who were thought to be trustworthy have been intentionally deceptive. In the internet age, when anyone can post information on line, it is sometimes even more difficult to separate truth from fiction. The difficulty does not relieve us of the responsibility to determine what is true and what is not.

I am not seeking to engender distrust of any person or news organization. My point is that we should be careful in what we repeat and proclaim as true.

It is too easy to take that juicy bit of “news” about a politician or celebrity that I don’t like or don’t agree with and use that “news” as further reason to not like or not trust him. Before it is repeated, I need to confirm that it is true and also confirm that it is necessary or helpful to the discussion at hand.

Christians should have no part in character assasination.

I am reminded of the lyrings from the children’s song, “oh be careful little mouth what you say.” It turns out that it was good advice.

About Mark McIntyre

A follower of Jesus Christ who shares observations about how Scripture should impact the church and the world. Mark is the original author and editor of Attempts at Honesty.

On shining faces

In Exodus 34 we find that as a result of being in close relationship with God, Moses’ face shone to the point where the people were afraid of him. As a result, Moses went around with a veil over his face so that the people could bear his presence. This was an anomaly, this is something that doesn’t […]

What if we lived out what we say we believe?

A woman beginning her ninth decade laughs when she is told that she will bear a son. Her husband is ten years her senior which adds to the seeming impossibility. In response to her laughter, God asks Abraham a question, “is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14)

That same question remains for us.

Who is the Redeemer of God’s Elect?

In the last few months, I have been reading about the first Ecumenical Councils of the church in the 4th and 5th Centuries. It was at these councils that the nature of Jesus was clearly defined for all of Christendom. Many of the misunderstandings about Jesus that survive today were addressed by these councils.

A Real Sense of Community

A few days ago I read a story about a man with 100,000 Twitter followers who took his own life. I know nothing about his history or the reasons behind the suicide. But I am struck by sadness that none of the 100,000 “friends” was close enough to prevent this tragedy. I often hear that […]

An unseen reality

When I see Jesus, it is less difficult to think that God really cares for me as an individual. When I see Jesus, the unseen reality begins to make itself almost tangible.

John Stott on the Cross of Christ

So stop for a minute and contemplate the chasm that lies between man in his sin and an infinitely holy God. Even a short meditation on this will bring a much better understanding of the Cross and why Jesus had to die.

Share

About Mark McIntyre