We all have a desire to be in the secret place with God. While God is not looking for natural perfection, He does have certain requirement.
Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle?
Who may dwell in Your holy hill?
He who walks uprightly,
And works righteousness,
And speaks the truth in his heart;
He who does not backbite with his tongue,
Nor does evil to his neighbor, Psalm 15:1-3
If we want to experience the pleasure and presence of God, the Lord desires us to be clean not only in our actions but also in our words. We need to have a tamed tongue.
With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. James 3:9
God is not pleased when we come to Him, bless His holy name, and then leave His presence only to become carnal by cursing others and acting like everyone else in the world.
Sometimes, backbiting can be just as harmful as cursing someone. It can ruin a person’s reputation, which in turn may close off opportunities for them, all because a believer—out of frustration or jealousy—decided to make someone look bad.
If we are harming our neighbor by backbiting, it goes against God’s commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. So, the next time you are tempted to use your tongue for evil against someone, consider the spiritual cost on yourself and the natural cost on that person.
Let’s commit to taming our tongues today and being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, using our words to bring life in every situation!