First it weakens our relationship with God because evil talk is disobedience. We are commanded to love one another, to esteem others who are made in the image of God. Just as people’s appearances differ, so their ways of thinking also differ.

 We must learn to respect differences even if we don’t agree with them. The truth is that we are NOT commanded to agree all the time, but we ARE commanded to love and respect each other.

The words of our mouth reveal whether or not we walk in obedience to this commandment. Criticism, sarcasm and condemnation of others arises out of the speaker’s inner belief that everyone and everything should conform to his or her own standard.

It betrays an intolerance of the differences between oneself and others and the tendency to focus on these differences comes from an inner attitude that ‘my way is the only right way’. There is a superiority that denies others the uniqueness with which God endowed every human being. Simply stated, criticism, sarcasm and condemnation are manifestations of pride in the speaker.

This pride and the disobedience that it produces become a hindrance in our relationship with God and we must repent. When faced with people who are different from us, why not focus on identifying their strengths, their talents, their good qualities?

It will enrich our fellowship with them, keep our hearts right and please our heavenly Father by protecting us from the sin of evil talk.

Shalom
Barbara