Raca: The Danger of Dismissiveness

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Raca: The Danger of Dismissiveness

“Anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court…” — Matthew 5:22

Most of us would never take a life.

But Jesus says something just as serious begins much earlier.

Raca was an insult meaning “empty-headed.” Worthless. Beneath consideration.

It wasn’t violent anger.

It was dismissal.

And dismissal is dangerous.

When we roll our eyes…

when we reduce someone to a stereotype…

when we treat their concerns as noise…

We begin shrinking their humanity.

In doing so we begin shrinking ours.

Contempt does not appear overnight.

It grows from repeated dismissal.

Jesus challenges the mindset that makes violence possible.

The Kingdom of Heaven cannot grow where we discount and dismiss each other.

It takes root when we remember:

Every person bears the image of God.

I’m Horace McMillon.

This is 60 Seconds of Hope.

Peace be with you.

#60SecondsOfHope #SermonOnTheMount #Matthew5 #KingdomLiving #TruthInLove

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