"Do not murder." It seems like it's one of the easiest commands in the Bible for even the worst of us to follow. But if we dig a little deeper into this three word command, there's more to it than meets the eye. Let's look at the Who, the What, and the How of what a murderous attitude can do to you?
Who
When the Bible tells us not to murder, whose life is it protecting? Tony Evans wrote, "The Bible is clear: life begins at the moment of conception and retains its value from the womb to the tomb." The who is the unborn, the elderly, the victim, the poor, the sick, the invalid, the any person created in and by God. God values all human life and we are called to do the same.
What
Human life is absolutely precious to God and it should be valuable to us. But many of us think that just because we didn't take part in the physical murder itself, that we're blameless. But murder takes on other forms - most often in the form of hate and bitterness towards others. When we allow these types of thoughts and feelings to fester inside of us, they will destroy us from the inside out.
When someone does you wrong (sins against you) it leaves a mark. If that wound is not treated, it can become infected and worsen over time. A minor cut or scrape can become infected and eventually the injured area can become extremely sensitive and painful. But the newfound pain isn't tied to the original wound, it's a result of the infection that was allowed to grow.
I know most perfect people reading this will have never fallen into this trap as I have. But for me, there have been times that my wife has done, or didn't do, something very minor. So minor in fact that I didn't mention it to her. However, I carried the memory of it with me and it grew and grew. Until eventually I say something I shouldn't or lash out over a light left on or load of clothes unfolded. The issue itself is minor but in not addressing the initial wound that upset me, I allowed it to grow.
This is a minor example of how hate and anger can destroy us from the inside out. It may even be that the original issue is relatively small but if left to fester over time, it was can cause much deeper problems. The infection of an untreated wound on your hand can eventually lead to your entire arm hurting, then to headaches, to irritability, and more.
When looking at how this can affect our relationships with the people whom we love the most, it's no wonder that there seems to be so much hate and animosity in politics and the world inside and outside our homes today.
How
If all it takes is a little seed of anger, a minor wound, to cause a death how do we stop it?
"Check your attitude. If your privately consider some people more important than others, confess that to God and repent. While the world deems countless people as inferior or less important, we're called to see all people as God sees them."
"Check your words. Examine your involvement in devaluing life through the words you speak to others or about others. Words of anger, malice, bitterness, or even apathy don't honor the lives of those God loves, so determine to speak only those words that build others up."
It's easy to stand back and say, "I didn't kill anyone," "I didn't say anything mean," "I didn't do this or do that." But are you helping?
Are you forgiving those who have wronged you?
Are you speaking up for those who can't speak?
Are you standing up for what's right?
In the legal world, murder may be clearly defined and outlined. But in our personal lives, murder can be just as much an attitude as an action.
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