SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN
'Thou shalt not go up and down as
a talebearer among thy people … Thou shalt in any wise rebuke
thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him.'-Leviticus 19:16, 17
Tale-bearing emits a threefold poison; for it injures the
teller, the hearer, and the person concerning whom the tale is
told. Whether the report be true or false,
we are by this precept of God's Word forbidden to spread it. The
reputations of the Lord's people should be very precious in our
sight, and we should count it shame to
help the devil to dishonor the Church and the name of the Lord.
Some tongues need a bridle rather than a spur. Many glory in
pulling down their brethren, as if thereby they raised
themselves. Noah's wise sons cast a mantle over their father,
and he who exposed him earned a fearful curse. We may ourselves
one of these dark days need forbearance and silence from our
brethren, let us render it cheerfully to those who require it
now. Be this our family rule, and our personal bond -
SPEAK EVIL OF NO MAN.
The Holy Spirit, however, permits us to censure sin, and
prescribes the way in which we are to do it. It must be done by
rebuking our brother to his face, not by
railing behind his back. This course is manly, brotherly,
Christ like, and under God's blessing will be useful. Does the
flesh shrink from it? Then we must lay the greater stress upon
our conscience, and keep ourselves to the work, lest by
suffering sin upon our friend we become ourselves partakers of
it. Hundreds have been saved from gross sins by the timely,
wise, affectionate warnings of faithful ministers and brethren.
Our Lord Jesus has set us a gracious example of how to deal with
erring friends in His warning given to Peter, the prayer with
which He preceded it, and the gentle way in which He bore with
Peter's boastful denial that he needed such a caution.
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon, Morning and Evening,
November 29th, AM
