There are certain sins that we as Christians seem to have no difficulty recognizing as evil. In James 4:11-12, we find a sin being described that the Bible condemns, but one that we as Christians are very often guilty of committing. This is a sin that we tend to think of as being “not quite so bad”. Because we do not see this sin as being in the “top 10 list,” we brazenly display it among others while gathering to worship. In fact, it’s a sin that many seem to enjoy, as we discover in Proverbs 18:8 & 26:22. It is none other than the sin of speaking evil of one another.
It seems that for some reason, it is easier for us to jump to a negative conclusion about others, than it is to assume the best about them.
When medieval monks compiled a list of the seven deadly sins, they included pride, covetousness, lust, envy, gluttony, anger, and laziness. Yet, they never mentioned slandering others. It appears that this is not only the rationale of medieval monks, but also the attitude of Christians living in 2019. When we speak evil of others, James tell us that when we do so, that we not only are judging others, but we are also judging the law. So, the question raised in James 4:11-12 is WHO ELECTED YOU JUDGE?