Words That Wound Deep
“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to hell of fire.” – Matthew 5:22
We live in a world that celebrates speaking your mind. Say what you feel, let it fly, speak your truth. But Jesus warns us that not every word is harmless, and not every outburst is innocent. In fact, in this passage, He gets specific about what it looks like to weaponize our words.
Jesus uses the word “Raca” to describe insults that degrade and devalue others. This wasn’t just name-calling. It was treating someone like they were nothing. And then He goes a step further and warns about calling someone a “fool,” the Greek word is “moros,” where we get our word moron. It was a way of saying someone was morally worthless. Like calling someone garbage, or hopeless. It wasn’t about disagreement; it was about dismissal.
The warning Jesus gives is strong, but not because He's trying to scare us into silence. He wants us to understand how seriously God takes the way we treat people. Our words might feel small in the moment, but they carry the weight of our hearts. What we say in a burst of anger reflects what we believe about someone’s value. And God does not take that lightly.
This is not about keeping quiet. It’s about speaking with love, even in frustration. It's not about pretending you're never upset. It's about learning to pause, filter, and speak in a way that reflects Christ. Because our words build up or tear down. They bless or they curse. And the ripple effect of one harsh sentence can stretch far beyond what we see.
I want to ask you today, are your words carrying the weight of grace or the sting of judgment? The more we learn to speak from the Spirit and not the flesh, the more we show the world who we truly belong to. Let your mouth match the mercy you've received. Speak life. Always.
We live in a world that celebrates speaking your mind. Say what you feel, let it fly, speak your truth. But Jesus warns us that not every word is harmless, and not every outburst is innocent. In fact, in this passage, He gets specific about what it looks like to weaponize our words.
Jesus uses the word “Raca” to describe insults that degrade and devalue others. This wasn’t just name-calling. It was treating someone like they were nothing. And then He goes a step further and warns about calling someone a “fool,” the Greek word is “moros,” where we get our word moron. It was a way of saying someone was morally worthless. Like calling someone garbage, or hopeless. It wasn’t about disagreement; it was about dismissal.
The warning Jesus gives is strong, but not because He's trying to scare us into silence. He wants us to understand how seriously God takes the way we treat people. Our words might feel small in the moment, but they carry the weight of our hearts. What we say in a burst of anger reflects what we believe about someone’s value. And God does not take that lightly.
This is not about keeping quiet. It’s about speaking with love, even in frustration. It's not about pretending you're never upset. It's about learning to pause, filter, and speak in a way that reflects Christ. Because our words build up or tear down. They bless or they curse. And the ripple effect of one harsh sentence can stretch far beyond what we see.
I want to ask you today, are your words carrying the weight of grace or the sting of judgment? The more we learn to speak from the Spirit and not the flesh, the more we show the world who we truly belong to. Let your mouth match the mercy you've received. Speak life. Always.
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