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Apples of Gold
Radio Script for August 16, 2010
“Slander No One”
Hello, I’m Doug Apple…with Apples of Gold.
A friend of mine was a political candidate.
He was a popular and effective leader in the region, but had never run for public office.
The race was tight, so his party drafted a letter to be sent out in his name. It basically took some shots at his opponent.
Now this man was known for his class, and his faith. He was a high-road kind of guy, and definitely not the kind to take cheap shots at people.
He opposed the sending of the letter. The party thought it was good political strategy, and it probably was, but it contained something my friend would not be party to: slander.
This may sound like typical political hijinks, but slander is something we must all be aware of.
There are two elements to slander. First of all, it’s something that isn’t true; and second, it’s designed to hurt someone’s reputation.
So slander is false, and damaging.
And you know what? It’s usually not in the form of a cleverly crafted strategy. Slander usually just comes popping out of your mouth.
They say that politics should not be discussed in polite conversation. One reason is because it is sure to produce slander.
For example, just bring up President Obama in a group of people, and someone is bound to spit out some slander. And if that particular group doesn’t have anything slanderous to say about Mr. Obama, then trot out the name George Bush and watch the slander fly.
“But Doug, I’m not speaking slander. I’m only speaking the truth.”
Then I would ask, “How do you know it’s true? What are your sources? And do you know it to be the whole truth?”
Now I’m not famous, and I’ve been reported on only a few times. But even with that little coverage, I’m amazed at how much they get wrong. For example, one wedding announcement even had my wife marrying my dad instead of me.
But when it comes to people like presidents, we take what our favorite news outlets or commentators say as the gospel truth and we spread it around.
Now look at your heart. When you do this, are you hoping to take a shot at that person? Are you hoping to damage their reputation, to take them down a peg or two?
If it’s false (and it may well be) and it’s designed to hurt their reputation (and you know in your heart what you are trying to do) then it is slander.
In politics, slander kind of comes with the territory, even though it’s wrong. From Sarah Palin to Hillary Clinton to your local mayor, just trot out their names and you are sure to stir up some slander.
But slander can come sliding out of the mouth in most any circumstance. If your spouse does something to annoy you, and the kids say, “What’s wrong,” be careful what you say. It will be so easy spew out something not entirely true designed to take a shot at your spouse.
It happens at work, when talking about the boss or about co-workers. It happens when talking about the pastor or Great Aunt So-and-So.
It’s just so easy to let slander slip into the conversation.
And listen. It may not be an outright lie. It may be a half truth or a distorted truth, or it may only be a reported truth that you really don’t know if it’s true or not; but you repeat it with the goal of taking a shot at someone.
Listen. The goal of slander is to lower that person in the eyes of others. You want people to think less of them.
Have you ever been the subject of slander? I have. All of a sudden it comes back to you that others have been talking about you, and what they said isn’t true. Oh, it was reported as true – and there may have been a kernel of truth in it – but it was distorted or taken out of context or blown out of proportion. It became something it truly wasn’t – and the worst part can be the fact that they actually wanted to hurt you, to bring you down, to damage your reputation.
And sadly, I have opened my own big mouth and spewed out slander – and if you are a true Christian, you can almost taste the poison as it sputters off your tongue. I’ve been there and I despise it.
So what is the cure?
It’s really quite obvious.
Love.
We are to love one another. We are to love our neighbor. We are to love everyone, friends and enemies alike.
Love is the foil to slander.
When you really love someone, it’s hard to slander them. You don’t want to cut down someone you love. You don’t want to damage their reputation or hurt them in the eyes of others.
So love is the foil to slander. Focus on loving people, and slander will just slip away – even when discussing politics!
And if you need a scripture to nail this one down in your head, here is the admonition of Paul to Titus.
Titus chapter three verse two says this: slander no one.
Comments?
E-mail me: dougapple@wave94.com.
May God bless you today! With Apples of Gold…I’m Doug Apple.
© 2010 The Arrow’s Tip
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(Proverbs 25:11 – “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.”)
Why “The Arrow’s Tip”? Each morning, after diligently seeking the Lord, I write Apples of Gold. Then before I release it to the public I pray one final prayer, “Lord, send forth your arrows.” I envision Apples of Gold as arrows, tips dipped in the river of the water of life that flows from the throne of God (Rev. 22:1), sailing toward the hearts and minds of men and women around the world.
Doug Apple
General Manager - Wave 94
Christian Radio for Tallahassee
PO Box 4105
Tallahassee, FL 32315
(850) 926-8000
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