People like to think of sinning as being something huge, but a lot of the Bible’s clearest warnings are about the things you do every day without thinking.
The quick reply
Someone says one thing. Your voice changes. It’s not like you’re yelling or anything, but you’ve got a sharp snap in your tone that makes it clear you’re unhappy. The Bible warns against that.
Proverbs 15:1 says that being harsh to someone is going to make them angry.
Anyone who’s seen a family dinner go downhill knows that. James 1:19-20 also says you should slow down before speaking because you don’t want your anger to get ahead of your common sense. Speak to people calmly when you’re mad. Don’t snap at them.
The ugly word
It happens fast. An argument stops being an argument because you’ve started throwing around insults. You’re talking about dishes or work one minute. The next, you’re calling the other person lazy or pathetic. Jesus warned against that.
He says in Matthew 5:22 that you’ll be judged for insulting someone and speaking with anger. Ephesians 4:31 says something similar. It says that cruel speech is as bad as being bitter or filled with rage, so you should cut it out completely. It doesn’t matter that you were ‘just mad.’
The sweet face
The Bible’s big on kindness, of course. But it’s not so supportive of fake kindness, the kind where you’re flattering someone and being friendly to someone’s face only. Psalm 12:2’s all about it. It warns against having flattering lips and double hearts.
Proverbs 26:24-26 also goes into more detail, describing someone who hides their hatred with nice words. Basic politeness and being professional at work are fine, sure, but the two-faced version? That’s wrong.
The private grin
Most Christians know they’re not supposed to celebrate tragedy. But it’s the secret form that’s a problem. You know the kind, the one where you enjoy bad news about someone you dislike. Proverbs 24:17-18 talks about it directly. You shouldn’t rejoice when an enemy falls.
Not publicly. Not privately either. First Corinthians 13:6 also says that love doesn’t delight in evil. It really doesn’t matter what kind of bad news. Whether it’s a difficult coworker getting corrected or an ex having bad luck, you shouldn’t be happy about their misfortune. It’s a sin.
The slow clock
The boss walks past you. You might start doing a special kind of fake work. You know, where your computer screen changes and your typing gets faster. But only for about thirty seconds. However, Colossians 3:22-23 says we shouldn’t be like that.
Workers are supposed to work even when they’re unwatched. In fact, Proverbs 18:9 takes it one step further. It says that a lazy worker is a destructive person, and dishonest work involves more than just stealing. Wasting paid time on purpose? Dragging out tasks endlessly? It’s all bad.
The cheap laugh
Older people have become the punchline of so many jokes. For example, an older person forgets a password. Cue the ‘grandpa brain’ jokes. It seems harmless, sure, but the Bible doesn’t treat aging so lightly. Leviticus 19:32 says we should honor the elderly.Â
Gray hair’s an honor apparently, too, according to Proverbs 20:29, and it’s clear the Bible’s against ageism. Mocking old people for being slower isn’t fair. Scripture says it’s more like disrespect than comedy, so quit the jokes.
The long night
Anger has a way of sitting there. It doesn’t always explode. In some cases, angry people replay the conversations for hours on end, and they’ll examine every sentence they said. They’ll examine every expression. They’ll go to bed mad. That’s a problem.
Ephesians 4:26-27 warns against letting the sun go down while you’re still angry. It gives the devil a foothold. It’s not like the Bible’s denying that anger happens. Obviously it does. But what it’s warning about is when people choose to keep feeding their anger.
The dirty joke
Crude humor is pretty common these days, mostly because everyone wants to seem funny. It doesn’t take long for conversations to turn blue. Then come the jokes and comments nobody would dare say in front of their grandmother. Ephesians 5:4 says not to do this.
All kinds of obscenity and foolish talk are wrong. It doesn’t matter how funny that joke was, you’re not supposed to make dirty comments. Colossians 3:8 backs that up. Yes, it says filthy language is bad, and we shouldn’t turn people into cheap material for laughs.Â
The useful friend
One person gets promoted or goes viral, and then they’re everyone’s best friend. It happens all the time. But the second their new status disappears, they’re back to square one. No friends. Jesus talked about it directly in Luke 6:32-35.
He said there’s no credit in only loving people who love you back. You’re supposed to love your enemies. You’re supposed to do good and lend, but without expecting anything back. Friendships based on payoff are totally wrong.
The silent insult
You’re able to disrespect your parents without even raising your voice. It’s an eyeroll. It’s looking at the ceiling while they’re talking. It might be a small gesture, yes, but it’s got a full message of contempt and impatience with it. It goes against Exodus 20:12.
That verse orders everyone to honor their father and mother. Proverbs 30:17 takes it a step further by punishing an eye that mocks a father or scorns a mother. It’ll be ‘pecked out by the ravens of the valley, will be eaten by the vultures.’
The early answer
Let’s face it. We talk over people all the time, whether it’s because we’re too enthusiastic or because we’re impatient. It’s natural. However, Proverbs 18:13 says that sort of behavior is foolish and that it’s shameful to answer before listening. James 1:19 says the same thing.
It says you should be quick to listen and slow to speak, simple as that. You might hear enough to react. But that doesn’t mean you’ve heard enough to actually understand what someone’s talking about.
Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.
