Exodus 20:12-17

“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” vs. 16

Martin Luther, the sixteenth century German reformer, wanted parents to take the lead in teaching their children the basics of the Christian faith. And since many of the parents in his time lacked the knowledge to do proper training, he wrote a small catechism as an aid. That Small Catechism, covering the Ten Commandments, the Apostle’s Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Sacraments of Holy Communion and Baptism, has been used to train millions of youth in subsequent centuries. Written in an easy to understand question and answer format, Luther’s explanations are still the gold standard for believers. In particular, the meaning he attached to the eighth commandment deserves even wider circulation, especially in this election year. In discussing false witness he wrote: “We should fear and love God, so that we do not lie about, betray, slander, or defame our neighbors, but apologize for them, speak well of them, and put the most charitable construction on all that they do.” Wow, just imagine how the climate of our social interactions would change if we put these simple instructions into practice! There’d certainly be a wholesale change in the tone of our social media posts. And the speeches of politicians would get a lot shorter! Why can’t we do this? It’s so basic! And there’s nothing that would change our culture more!

Thought for the Day: Why is it so hard to speak well of and apologize for others?