Are We Eating Each Other Alive?

~ Jennifer Brown Jones

Over the last few years I’ve been reflecting on how we as Christians are demonstrating God’s love for others with our words. Here’s my question: Are we? Or are we tearing each other apart? In the coming weeks I’d love to have you join me as I explore how we can use our words to reflect who God is to the world around us. These reflections will be focused in the books of James and Proverbs. But my guess is that we’re going to go beyond them quite a bit.

“As Carmen Imes might put it, are we bearing God’s name well in the way that we speak?“

Here are some initial thoughts to get us started as we dig into using our words wisely.

As I mentioned, I’d love to hear your questions and ideas! Feel free to share them in the comments below or by email!

Many blessings,
Jen

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10 thoughts on “Are We Eating Each Other Alive?”

  2. Thank you, Jen. I agree with you that we need to be more aware of the words we speak and concentratng on pleasing God first and honoring others. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

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    1. Thanks for taking time to listen! I know this is an area the Lord has been working on in my life. I pray that He’ll help all of us to grow in this area so that we can better honor Him. Thanks again!

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  3. Thank you, Jen. I agree that we, as Christians, are too quick to complain – about one another and uncomfortable circumstances we find ourselves in. I look forward to your next edtion on this topic. Hope to see you soon!

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  4. My friend, you were an absolutely fantastic walking partner this morning as I forced myself onto the treadmill. And listening to this helped me add more pieces to the nudges of growth I’ve been sensing from the Holy Spirit.

    I respond in anger to the ways we as Christians are tearing one another apart because I have so many non-Christians in my circle who are being completely pushed away from Christ by our bickering. Oh how it crushes me! And it should — don’t get me wrong. But I’m being convicted of my response. Many times in the process of trying to point to a Christ that is grieved by our bickering, I end up showing the lost world my anger about our bickering instead of showing them Christ. In that way, my anger is justified by my use of that anger is not. In theory, it’s a clear difference. In practice? It’s not quite so clear-cut. My heart cries out for the Holy Spirit to guide my every word — and for my own heart, mind, and tongue to be responsive!

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    1. My heart is breaking over this issue. But I don’t always get it right either. And sometimes even if it is deep passion rather than anger, I don’t express it appropriately. I think you’ve really come down to the key: we need the Spirit to guide our every word. Our speech has to exhibit the fruit of the Spirit. For me, at least, it seems that the only answer is for the deep, transformative work of the Spirit in my life.

      Your comments raise another question (or set of questions) I’d love your thoughts on. What is the role of anger? Or is there not one? Is it always wrong? Is anger at abuse or injustice wrong, for example? What is it about anger or the way that it is expressed that is problematic?

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      1. So, a wonderment…do we struggle because we put our focus on the anger instead of relationships? If we are focused on glorifying God in our relationships, will anger be automatically righteous?

        Also, discussion with hubby this morning centered around the idea that in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said that our anger with one another would cause us to be subject to judgment. If we understand judgment not as punishment but instead as an evaluation of our actions, then it would be feasible that there is anger that would hold up to the standard of righteousness.

        So much to chew on, isn’t it?

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