Quote

"A man never describes his own character so clearly as when he describes another." -Jean Paul Richter

Something about this quote made me stop dead in my tracks this morning. Think about it; how do you respond when you hear a person describing another in less then flattering terms? I know how I do. Even if part of me agrees with that person, I lose respect for the person for telling me. More so, I lose some of my trust for them (if they talk about others like this, what are they saying about me?). I think a big part of how we grade people when it comes to character and integrity is how they talk about others behind their back. I worry that many of us Christians are addicted to gossip (which we justify in so many interesting ways) and are unaware of the damage it does to relationships, churches, and ministry. Instead of doing the work of giving feedback to each other, we share our opinions with others. Speaking poorly about others behind their back doesn't just affect the teller and the subject but the hearer as well. My challenge for this week; speak the truth in love and maintain my integrity when I speak about others.

May Light increase!