By Fr. Adolf Washington –
An old Spanish proverb reads “Whoever gossips to you will gossip ‘about’ you”. Both, people who gossip, slander and destroy the good name of others and those who make judgments based on slander are answerable to God the ultimate Judge.
The Psalmist cried “My enemies speak evil against me, “When will he die, and his name perish?” And when he comes to see me, he speaks falsehood; His heart gathers wickedness to itself; When he goes outside, he tells it. All who hate me whisper together against me; against me they devise my hurt, saying wicked thing is poured out upon him, that when he lies down, he will not rise up again.” Even my close friend in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, has lifted up his heel against me” (Psalm 41:5ff).
But this Psalmist sings with great Faith in God the righteous Judge reassuring those falsely judged “He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. (Psalm 37:6).
The Bible is replete with examples of Judges appointed by the Lord who failed the Lord by pronouncing false judgments.
“The anger of the LORD burned against Israel (because they abandoned the Lord). The Lord gave them into the hands of plunderers; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies around them, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies. Wherever they went, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had spoken and as the LORD had sworn to them, so that they were severely distressed” Judges 2: 13-15).
Even in the modern-day context, people appointed to positions of power tend to drift away from the Lord and rely on falsehood than truth and become judgmental. Prophet Amos echoed long ago, how those in power take the side of the powerful and suppress the weak. “…they cheat with dishonest scales so as to buy the helpless for money and the needy for a pair of sandals… sell the refuse of the wheat…” (Amos 8:5ff).
The Lord Jesus too minced no words in saying “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”. (Luke 6:41ff).
There is a story told of a restaurant manager who designed a special non-smokers eating area for Sunday churchgoers who just wanted to have a snack after the prayer service. A little boy suggested to the restaurant manager “Could you have a ‘special’ room for those who don’t gossip and slander the names of others?”
The restaurant manager tried it. Nobody wanted to know they gossiped. The restaurant shut down that very week. But the Sunday worship continued as usual.
Have you falsely judged anyone or suppressed the innocent by your words, thoughts, actions or indifference? Do you need a ‘special room?|