“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” ~ 1 Peter 2:1

Reading my Bible this morning in 1 Peter 2, I spent time reflecting and meditating on the sin of slander. It’s a sin that is often overlooked in our culture today. Why? Probably because its damage isn’t immediately visible like theft or murder. Yet, God’s Word treats it with absolute seriousness. In fact, the word “slander” or its equivalents appear about 120 times in Scripture, and it’s directly condemned in the Ten Commandments: “You shall not bear false witness” (Exodus 20:16).

In our era of social media, the temptation to slander has grown by leaps and bounds. It is incredibly easy to spread stories that are not true and ruin reputations. Because of our sinful nature, we are quick to believe the worst about others. But love, on the other hand, believes all things. It assumes the best of people, especially fellow believers, unless proven otherwise.

While it feels discouraging to see slander destroy lives around us, our hope is in Christ. When He was slandered, He did not slander in return. He can help us overcome this temptation. But if we harden our hearts, the same Christ warns: “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37).