Who's the Fool?

But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; and if you insult a brother or sister, you will be liable to the council; and if you say, `You fool,' you will be liable to the hell of fire. 

 - Matthew 5

This one has always gotten to me. I can remember reading it for the first time, when I was about 11 years old, and thinking . . . "there's no way I am saved."

To me the big question is "Who is my brother or sister? Blood relatives? Members of the church? All humans?" I think the accurate, and safest, response is the third choice. 

On Facebook, I am always urging people not to insult others. What a vague concept. What is an insult, anyway? If I state facts accurately, and another person feels insulted by it, does that count? 

The first sentence sets it up, by developing the concept of anger. So that's it: if anger is what is driving you, chances are you are feeling, and saying, sinful things. You must deal with the anger first.

And then the final sentence clarifies it: Don't say "You fool." So that's what an insult is - name-calling, or dehumanizing of another. A statement of the facts is okay, and if it makes the other person angry, then that's their problem. And you don't get a pass by saying "It's a fact that he's a fool."

We have a lot of work to do . . .