Backbiting—Peace Like a River

Backbiting—Peace Like a River

“Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, and whoever spreads slander is a fool.” Prov. 10:18.

What is your real purpose with spreading slander? Do you think you can further God’s kingdom by speaking about other people’s sin? I wonder if you are not doing this to enjoy it in your flesh? In other words, you are on the way of death, which leads you away from fellowship with God. You who backbite with your tongue are not permitted to build on the Lord’s holy hill. Ps. 15:3. You are tearing down; you are not building. So if you want to be along in building the Lord’s house—building the church—you must have completely ceased to backbite.

Sin and darkness are wide-spread, and many of those who backbite complain about being backbitten themselves. The person who has wisdom never complains about the evil he meets or is exposed to; he translates it through the cross of Christ into heavenly treasures, and he can boldly ask as Peter did: “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?” 1 Pet. 3:13.

“But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.” 1 Pet. 4:15.

When a person sins, it only serves him right to be backbitten. Of course he doesn’t like it when his sin is made known to each and every one, but it serves him right. If the person were humble, he would say to himself: “That was good for me!” Many sinners live in fear of being backbitten. They have a suspicious mind, being constantly reminded of their sin and always asking themselves: “Do you think he meant me?”

“Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea.” Isa. 48:18. Such a person does not need to be afraid of being backbitten. “Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” 1 Pet. 2:12.

Our conduct must be such that people get to know us as God-fearing. Then if someone backbites us, people will not believe him. If he backbites us to someone who doesn’t know us he may believe him at first, but then our righteousness will come like the waves of the sea and pour over all of his backbiting. Then he will see our good works, and he will praise God because of the works. Pity the poor fellow who has backbitten, but not the one who was backbitten. May we live in such a way that all those who backbite us may be revealed as liars who are not to be believed.

It shouldn’t take much to live in such a way that those who say we use tobacco are not believed, or that we go to the cinema. However, if they say we are stingy or seek our own, I wonder if people have learned to know us well enough not to believe it. And if they believe an evil rumor—which is easy enough for people to do—may our works, once people get to know us better, wash away all the evil rumors like the waves of the sea. Then our peace will be like a river.