Are You A Murderer?

Are You a Murderer?

You must not murder.

Deuteronomy 5:17

You have heard that our ancestors were told, “You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.” But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell.

Matthew 5:21-22

Anyone who hates another brother or sister is really a murderer at heart. And you know that murderers don’t have eternal life within them.

1 John 3:15

Have you ever heard anybody say, “If looks could kill . . .”? What did that person mean? Most likely it was a reference to the hateful look on someone’s face. Unless we’re very good actors, most of us can’t help but let what’s in our hearts show on our faces. Sometimes we have murder in our hearts, and it shows. This doesn’t necessarily mean we want to physically kill the person we are angry with. But we might want to damage the person’s reputation, hurt his or her feelings, or injure his or her relationships with others.

If we think we’re doing okay on the sixth commandment because we haven’t physically killed anybody, we’re not looking deep enough. Jesus said that we break this commandment when we have a murderous motive in our hearts that comes out in hateful words. God commands us never to harm another person with our actions, thoughts, words, or indifference. But he expects even more than that. He not only wants us not to be life takers; he wants us to be life givers. Just as we can be murderous with words, we can be life giving with words. We can offer words of encouragement instead of cynicism, words of affirmation instead of criticism, words of truth instead of deceit, words of love instead of hate.

DISCUSSION STARTERS

Make your worst mean, ugly, “if looks could kill” face. What does that expression say to others?

What words and phrases could you say that are life giving to others?

Is there someone you need to ask forgiveness of for “murdering” him or her with words?