Read it: Matthew 18:15-35 & Matthew 12:36-37 & Ephesians 4:31 & Proverbs 12:18
Live it:
I used to work in a male juvenile detention center, and one of the things that was prevalent in that environment was verbal abuse. The boys I worked with came from a wide spectrum of parental environments. Either the parent-child relationship was friendship-focused, where the parent wanted to be the child’s best friend, or there was severe neglect and abuse in the parent-child relationship. All of the children were missing something–love.
We can love through our actions; we can love through our words, and today’s readings are a helpful reminder of this. Verbal abuse wreaks havoc in our relationships and communities, and it is worthy of serious consequences. It’s evil, and when you engage in that type of behavior, it reveals an attitude of superiority and contempt for the person you are verbally abusing.
If you struggle with verbally abusing others, I want you to think about this: There has never been a person whom you have ever seen whom God doesn’t love. So we should view people and treat them as a fellow image of God.
If you have been abused, I know it hurts. It hurts even worse when someone close to us hurts us. And, I hurt with you. Your church family hurts with you, and Christ hurts with you. If you are in an abusive situation and are in need of guidance and support, please reach out to us at office@focus314.com.
Ps. James