Do Not Bear False Witness

Verses: Susanna 1 : 47 - 64

My thoughts about the verses:

Our mouths are the most dangerous weapon in our entire arsenal.  We can hurt people more with what we say or don’t say than anything else we can do.  I have heard all my life “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”  I am here to tell you that this is a myth that we teach children and live in our adult life. 

Words can destroy a person.  Words can lead a person down a path that sometimes ends in loss of life.  We have seen it in the news the last few years where kids who are cyber bullied end up taking their life.  They have no way of escaping from the taunts and lies that follow them.  They feel so worthless that they feel their only option is to disappear and the only way that they think they can do this is through death.

Many in the LGBTIQA community have been abused by evil words.  The sad part is that these words come from people who state that they are Christians.  This then pushes the person who needs a safe place away from church.  Many times it leads them to get angry at God and push God to the side. 

Then we have parents that do not understand when the daughter or son tells then the truth about their sexual identity or gender identity.  The guilt and shame that parents, friends and family put on this group are dangerous.  People above all things need to be accepted by the ones that they love.  When they are pushed away from these individuals by hate and misunderstanding they are often feel trapped.  There are so many cases of people who have just come out of the closet taking their own lives because of the words that have been spoken.

Words have a way of affecting us down to the very core of our soul.  How many people have bad self-images because of the words that have been spoken to them?  Think about those people that have heard that their fat that turn to anorexia.  Look at the people that have been called ugly that hide themselves away from people and get trapped in their own houses. 

Words are destructive and we have an obligation to not hurt others.  We need to stop spreading untruths and lies.  We need to accept people for who they are.  Instead of calling them names we need to point out the positives.  People with high self-esteems have lived in an environment in which they have been loved.

You can only imagine the judges as they face Daniel.  They did not have an opportunity to work out their story.  They had thought that no one would dare stand up to two judges and leaders of the church.  Yet, here is this man coming out of the crowd saying stop doesn’t kill this woman until she has fairly been tried. 

When read this I thought of the story of Solomon.  Two women come before him one claims that the baby is her own; even though she knew she had accidentally killed her own child.  The other woman comes weeping claiming the child is hers.  Solomon is having a hard time deciding who the child is because both mothers are distraught.  So he thinks for a moment and asks for a sword.  He then says I will divide the child with this sword so you can both have half.  The first mother says that she will live it.  The other mother in tears says do not harm my baby if he must live with her I would rather that than for him to die today.  Immediately Solomon knew who the mother was.  Because the actual mother wanted the baby to live and wasn’t willing to sacrifice it.

Daniel knows these stories so he says to the elders separate the men and I will ask both of them questions.  The first judge he confronts and asks since you saw what tree were they under.  The judge, with an air of reverence, states a mastic tree.  Then David says today you will be cut in two.  Then the second judge is brought in front of him.  The same question is asked.  The second judge immediately responds and evergreen oak.  David then tells him today he will be split in two.

You have to understand that there are huge differences between the two trees.  There is no way that they could have mixed up the trees if they had seen the scene like they did.  They through their words had testified against the innocent.  They also through their words proved that they were deceitful.  Through their words the innocent woman was cleared of the deed they had accused her of.  It was their words that led them to their own death.

We have to understand and accept that our words can do harm.  We have to make sure that we do not hurt others by what we say.  It is also true that we must hurt others by what we do not say.  If Daniel had gone along with the stoning of the woman he would have done the same act that the judges had done.  Yet, he would have been responsible for her death because he did not speak out.  Use your words sparingly.  Stand up for those that are hurt.  Yet, do not hurt people with the words you use against them.

Prayer:

We praise you God for the wisdom that you bestow to each of us.  We thank you for living within us guiding us.  Help us to stand up for those that have been hurt by what people say.  We ask that you never let our words hurt others.  We also ask that you do not let us be silent when we see wrong being done.  In the name of the Give of Wisdom we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have your hurt someone because of the words you have spoken?  Have you ever stood silent when you see someone being treated unfairly?  Are you hurting today because of the words people have spoken to you?  Do you need hope in your life?  Is today the day that you ask the God of love to come into your life?