In Mark 7:21 Jesus stated that murder is a defiling sin. That seems rather obvious and perhaps irrelevant to most of us, but is there a deeper implication beyond taking another’s life? Do we commit murder when we pretend that someone doesn’t exist? Is our silence, lack of involvement, or failure to invest in others relegating them to a slow death? Consider our words. Is it possible to crush another’s dreams by being overly harsh or critical? Have we ever offended people to the point that they lose all hope? Jesus declared elsewhere that it would be better for a millstone to be hung around such an offender’s neck and that person cast into the sea. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that our tongue has the power of life and death. This is serious. Serving leaders are others-oriented, purveyors of life and hope. They carefully weigh their words of encouragement and correction avoiding both flattery and hurtful criticism.

KEY QUESTIONS: How might I pretend that someone doesn’t exist? If I am an advocate for life, when might inaction nullify my beliefs? Have my words ever crushed another’s hope or offended needlessly? Who today needs to hear words of life and hope from me through a text message, phone call, email, or another form of communication?