Noisy Neighbors
May 13, 2009 at 1:15 pm | Posted in A Little Alliteration, Biblical neighbors | 5 CommentsTags: Biblical neighbors, change agents, Christian language, civilian casualties, communication, David, doublespeak, downsizing, flattery, gossip, manipulation, manipulation versus communication, neighbors, neighbors in the Bible, Psalm 12, smooth talk
Much of the “double-speak” in today’s exploitative society can be frustrating. A large corporation which fires dozens of employees is said to be “downsizing.” Innocent bystanders injured in a war are called “civilian casualties.” A self-serving flatterer is called a “smooth talker.” Such duplicitous language has even crept into the church, as those who try to undermine the vision of their spiritual leaders, and disrupt the unity of a body of believers, call themselves “change agents.”
David, in his day, called upon the Lord to end this type of vain speech.
They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak. The LORD shall cut off all flattering lips, and the tongue that speaketh proud things:
Psalm 12:2-3
God has given us a great gift in being able to communicate through talking. What a shame if, as believers, we usurp the use of our tongues, and use them to spread gossip and stir up trouble, instead of surrendering them to the Holy Spirit for the building-up and encouraging of others in our church family. Our prayer should be that our “communication” is not really “manipulation” in disguise.
5 Comments »
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a Reply
Blog at WordPress.com. | Theme: Pool by Borja Fernandez.
Entries and comments feeds.
[...] his condition in Psalm 31:11: “I was a reproach among all mine enemies, but especially among my neighbours, and a fear to mine acquaintance: they that did see me without fled from me.” Malicious lies have [...]
Pingback by Friends or Foes? « The Deep End— May 22, 2009 #
[...] a member of a local body of believers, don’t be a Willow-Creek, Purpose-Driven, Transitioning “change agent.” The Bible says to “submit” to authority. Submission is not grudging obedience. It is not a [...]
Pingback by T.K.O. Your Pastor (#2) « The Deep End— April 15, 2010 #
[...] E.quivocal neighbors (Psalm 12:2-3): Equivocation is “doublespeak” or duplicitous language. We must be wary of neighbors who say one thing and mean another. [...]
Pingback by A Neighborly Anniversay « The Deep End— January 3, 2011 #
[...] E.quivocal neighbors (Psalm 12:2-3): Equivocation is “doublespeak” or duplicitous language. We must be wary of neighbors who say one thing and mean another. [...]
Pingback by What the Bible Says about Neighbors « The Deep End— January 10, 2011 #
[...] Wholly Holy 2. Noisy Neighbors 3. Acts and the Apostles: Activated, Authorized, Audible, and Accountable 4. Friends or Foes? 5. [...]
Pingback by Finally Finishing Five Hundred « The Deep End— December 14, 2011 #