Too many today in modern Christianity are indeed fooling themselves. The appearance of religion is meaningless without the spirit of Christ. Instead of "What would Jesus do" we often need to ask, "What would Jesus say?" Would Jesus be critical in His speech? Would He be harsh? Would He be judgmental? Would He be rude, arrogant, and unseemly? Would He speak down to you? Would He castigate you in front of others? Would He devalue and demean you? All we have to do is look at His words during the most painful moment in His life on earth, during the crucifixion:
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing." And the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Luke 23: 34 (NLT)
Jesus was always about forgiveness and healing, and we should strive for no less. This is serious business according to God beloved.
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." Matthew 12: 33-37 (ESV)
So pause for a moment and consider; what fruit do your words produce for those you speak to and those who happen to hear you? Is it good fruit coming out from the goodness in your heart or are there unresolved issues poisoning your heart? We will be held to account for every careless word...every careless word.
And it is not just the actual words that are important but how they are delivered. Sarcasm, mocking, derisiveness, and meanness have no place on the lips of the believer. When Nehemiah was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, he had his detractors:
Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, "What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?" Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, "Yes, what they are building-- if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!" Nehemiah 4: 1-3 (ESV)
You can hear the sarcasm dripping from their words. Now Sanballat and Tobiah were enemies of God, so we can understand their ignorance. But this type of language is also now seen often coming from believers and it should not be so. Here was the prayer of Nehemiah in response:
Hear, O our God, for we are despised. Turn back their taunt on their own heads and give them up to be plundered in a land where they are captives. Do not cover their guilt, and let not their sin be blotted out from your sight, for they have provoked you to anger in the presence of the builders. Nehemiah 4: 4-5 (ESV)
