These days it has become very easy to speak evil of others. We are often a divided people. And with the advent of social media, we can speak ill of others we never met and never will meet in real life.
James calls out people who call themselves Christians, yet praise Him with their mouth one minute and curse other people with that same mouth the next minute. He uses the illustration of a spring of water in the ground. He asks if the spring can give both salt and freshwater. Of course the answer is no. So neither should our mouths spring forth praises to God and curses to man.
In here though, he gives the number one reason that we should speak well of others. When he tells us not to curse others, he is saying that those people are made in the “likeness of God.” In other words, those people are made in God’s image, or what theologians call “the imago dei.”
The imago dei is first found in Genesis 1:27. It says, “so God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Man, unlike animals or vegetation, is made in God’s image. The number one reason we should not curse others is when we do, we are cursing God’s image. We are cursing that which He created.
A curse is beyond our modern day thought of cursing, although it probably can involve that. It is to wish evil on someone and even want them to not receive blessings from God. It is wanting harm to fall upon a person, verses desiring them to receive grace.
When we speak evil of others, when we curse them, when we wish them evil; we are not just hurting others. We are speaking evil of one of God’s creations. We are destroying that which, when not sinning, reflects who God is and His image. This is the number one reason we should not speak evil and destroy others with our tongue.
Think About It
How do you speak about others?
Do you struggle with tearing people down, or wishing them harm?
If so, start seeing them in God’s image. It will change our perspective.