Foot in the Mouth Disease-Open Deer Season for Politicians

Young babies are very flexible and they can put their feet in their mouth. But it also goes for people through their tongue. James 3:8. A good example of foot in the mouth disease is politicians. A politician will say something not exactly what he meant to say, like Murdoch’s abortion statement, and then the press will harp on it.

The Pharisees were always trying to slander and trip of Jesus up about paying taxes, healing on the Sabbath, respecting authority, not being ordained through their establishment, being the son of a carpenter, and a number of other things.

Jesus usually baffled them by his answers (did not let them trip him up). The Pharisees and those who judged and criticized never cared about women’s rights or being an advocate of the poor, they were trying to trip Jesus up. A person can be jealous, or they can be out to promote their own agendas.

All the others care only for themselves and not for what matters to Jesus Christ. Philip 2:21
He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John 12:6

I would much rather listen to a positive campaign and hear a daughter talk about how her dad is a nice man and a family man than some smear campaign. At least then I know that person has a moral conscience. Some people seem to have a stronger moral conscience in life than others and do not go around and violate their conscience.

Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron. 1 Timothy 4:2
They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. Ephesians 4:19

All too often a “common” temptation is to become like your accuser. I talk to spousal loss people and they get upset with people, and then they start to become like the person they are upset with. Returning evil for evil does not work (riling for riling).

I have some people that have sent me negative (a lot of positive too) emails about my blogs, and I could have easily judged them back.

Don't repay evil for evil. Don't retaliate with insults when people insult you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God has called you to do, and he will bless you for it. 1 Peter 3:9

The problem is if you answer a fool according to their folly the Bible says you become like a fool. So I don’t answer a person’s criticism of my actions according to their actions. I do my best to answer them according to God’s word and how God would have me answer them.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself. Proverbs 26:4

But what it came down to is that they kept accusing Jesus of being from the devil so Jesus simply said that everything would be forgiven them (blasphemy), but it would not be forgiven against the Holy Spirit. My understanding that is that they knew that he was sent from God, but they insisted on calling what he did evil.

I tell you the truth, all the sins and blasphemies of men will be forgiven them. But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Mark 3:29
Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Matthew 12:32

The Bible warns that many will call evil good and good evil.

Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Isaiah 5:20

There are several scriptures that warn about slander and gossip. I find that usually people who criticize and judge seem to have a problem with slander and gossip too. This scripture below in James talks about that.

Don't speak evil against each other, dear brothers and sisters. If you criticize and judge each other, then you are criticizing and judging God's law. But your job is to obey the law, not to judge whether it applies to you. James 4:11

"Do not judge, or you too will be judged. Matthew 7:11

When it says “he that is spiritual judgeth all things.” We are going to be judging matters or a person’s actions (fruit) like Moses and Solomon did. We are not to judge a person’s heart and motives. We don’t know if people are promoting their own agendas or are jealous. We don’t have that capability. God’s people will be judges of matters when Jesus sets up his kingdom.

Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 1 Cor. 6:2

You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Matthew 7:16

The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 1 Cor. 2:15

Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God. 1 Cor. 4:5