Proverbs 11:12. Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.
One way to feel wise when you are actually a fool is through belittling others. When we belittle someone we hold them in contempt. We look down on them in derision. The contrast with remains silent shows that Solomon is talking about belittling others with our words.
They’re such an idiot.
I can’t believe she did that.
You’re not very good at that, are you?
So what, anyone could do that.
Everybody’s frustrated with them.
Do you ever belittle others like this? If you do, then you lack sense (literally, “lacks heart”). Belittling others is the sign that you have lost all discernment and compassion. You have failed to see the great value in having a good relationship with your neighbor, so instead of cultivating closeness, you push them away with your gossip, slander, boasting, and arguing. What we think will make us gain friends, influence, and power actually just steals it all away as others realize that they don’t want to be around someone who talks behind the backs of their “friends.” Over time belittling others will only drive everyone away from us and we will be left with no true neighbors at all.
Jesus is the only person who could justly belittle others. But Jesus’ silence on the night of his trial demonstrated his understanding. His wisdom. And not just his wisdom, but also his love. The holding of his tongue in the face of his accusers was our salvation. As he was nailed to the cross he spoke words of forgiveness, not insult or reviling. On the cross he spoke words of acceptance, not judgment or superiority.
And that same Jesus, the Jesus of the cross, now lives in you as the Christ of Heaven. Yet he who has been crowned as the ruler of the universe still does not belittle, defame, or disparage. The Accuser does that. Christian, any belittling words that you hear in your head are not from Christ. And any belittling words that you speak over others are not from Christ.
In Christ, there is never a need to put others down. In fact, our union with Christ’s cross calls us to go lower and lower still, seeing the depth of our own desperation rather than the petty specks in the eyes of others. All while our union with Christ’s throne calls us to lift our brothers and sisters up to the heights of Heaven, to their seat in glory at the right hand of the Father and the Son.
Ephesians 4:29-30. 29Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
When you know where you have come from spiritually (the cross) and where you are headed spiritually (the throne), there is never again a situation where belittling someone makes sense.
You: Do you ever belittle others? Look down on them? Disparage them?
You in Christ: How does trusting our union with the cross and the throne of Christ allow us to forsake belittling others?
Christ in you: Is there someone that you can lift up today with your words or actions?
Pray: Jesus, you never put me down, you only build me up. Help me to build others up with my words too. Amen.
To Live is Christ 