The Cost Of Slander

Read Proverbs 30

Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.

Proverbs 30:10

Slander is a serious charge; it represents an attack on a person’s character. When this attack threatens a person’s livelihood, the damage increases. The accused may turn on the accuser, and the latter’s judging attitude may backfire. The accuser also then is accused, and the cycle of character assassination continues.

We each must be responsible for our own behavior. Judging and accusing others is not our responsibility. Following God’s will and ways is a full-time occupation; no time should be left for “tattling.” If reporting infractions is a requirement of our job description, that is another matter, and procedures must be followed. But slander has a different motivation, for it desires to damage another’s character. The Christian has no call to this mean-spirited behavior. We are called to faithfulness to our own responsibility and empathy for other people.

A WORD FOR TODAY

A false recommendation will backfire.

Lord, help me to keep my eyes on my own behavior. Help me view my coworkers as fellow sojourners.