Slander Handler

 By Barry York - Posted at Gentle Reformation:

Slander is one of the most insidious sins of all. Deliberately spreading lies and falsehoods against someone to ruin their life, reputation, and relationships is a great evil. When this sin occurs in the context of church and ministry, the impact is even more pronounced. Satan, the serpent he is, loves to poison minds and create division within the kingdom of God.

In the Digital Age, the ease of communication can cause slander to spread at an exponential rate. FaceTime, WhatsApp, Zoom, texts, emails, etc., fly around at the speed of light. The relatively secretive nature of these forms of communication also removes precautions that might ordinarily slow someone down. After all, in a generation, we have gone from having to drive to see someone, pay per minuter for long-distance calls, or put a stamp on an envelope to interact with those who live at a distance from us; now, we are able in real-time to communicate with anyone around the world.

Though this post could serve as a warning against slander, instead, it addresses what to do if you believe you are a victim of this sin. Recently, in teaching a class on preaching from the Psalms, I had students prepare messages from those Psalms that reflected David's life. We noted that David was often the victim of slander. In looking at how he dealt with it, five helpful principles emerge for handling slander, as one might do with a venomous snake.

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