Lent Day 6

The Fifth Commandment is "Thou Shalt Not Kill". This means more than just the physical aspect, and this includes the Eighth Commandment "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor".Sirach 28:17 says... “The blow of a whip raises a welt, but a blow of the tongue crushes the bones. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, but not so many as have fallen because of the tongue”.
Non-constructive criticism and gossip can kill another person's self-esteem and motivation.How would that person feel if he or she could hear what was being said? How would you feel? You may not be too crazy about your neighbor, but you do not have to lie or gossip about them. The Golden Rule says to do unto others as you would have them do unto you, so would you prefer that they gossip against you as well?Nobody is perfect, so why should you expect your neighbors to be perfect? Nobody is as good as they think they are, and nobody is as bad as they think they are, so give them a break and only speak about the good in everyone.It has been said to avoid judging other people unless you have walked a mile in their shoes. In other words, if you have been faced with their same trials and tribulations, maybe you also would have made the same decisions they did, so do not be too quick to criticize.