The Heart of the Matter

“I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment.” — Matthew 5:22 As we learn from Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 5, the commandment “You shall not murder” addresses not only our physical actions but also our words and our thoughts.I have never physically murdered anyone, but I’m humbled— even horrified—to realize that I cannot begin to count the number of times I have violated the sixth commandment. Jesus explains that if we so much as become angry and hateful toward a person and we call them a name that demeans them, we are “subject to judgment.” This gets right to the heart of the matter.In moments of anger, hurt, resentment, or sometimes even out of mere frustration and annoyance, I have called others or thought of them as “stupid,” just as the religious leaders of Jesus’ day did when they called a brother or sister a “fool.” According to Jesus, this kind of attitude violates the sixth commandment by showing contempt for others made in the image of God.As a confessional statement of the church puts it, “I am not to belittle, hate, insult, or kill my neighbor—not by my thoughts, my words, my look or gesture, and certainly not by actual deeds . . .” (Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A 105).I am often guilty of diminishing other people. I need to continually ask God to forgive me and to create in my heart a deep, genuine love for others.What about you?  Lord Jesus, please forgive me for diminishing and hurting so many people you have made in your image. Help me to learn to love everyone as you do. Amen.