You might be surprised to know how many Bible warnings aren’t exactly huge. Sure, there’s the big stuff, like don’t murder or disrespect your family, but there are also a few things that people do each day that the Bible forbids. These are things that people do before breakfast & during work conversations without realizing it. Here are everyday habits the Bible warns believers about.
1. Letting loose little comments
One of the most important things the Bible warns against is making comments during conversations that criticize others. In Ephesians 4, Paul says that sharing words that tear people down instead of building them is a bad habit, especially teasing that goes too far or venting.
Even sarcasm that becomes too personal is a problem. Paul is quite clear that any little comments like these are harmful, yet there are so many believers who think nothing of it when they make such comments.
2. Answering before you’ve really heard someone
Another thing to be aware of during conversations is in terms of talking before you listen. James 1:19 has relatively simple directions, which are that you should listen first & talk later. In fact, the IVP New Testament Commentary explains that James connects fast-talking with impatience and anger, which seems to suggest that believers at that time also struggled with everyday conversations like we do today.
You should avoid interrupting or assuming that you already know. You also certainly shouldn’t jump in halfway through someone else’s sentence because you think you know where they’re going.
3. Carrying anger into the night
There’s a rather practical suggestion in Ephesians 4:26, where Paul tells people that they shouldn’t let the sun go down while they’re still angry. Essentially, he’s warning people not to go to bed feeling angry. It’s unfortunately something that too many of us do because we feel we’re justified in our anger.
But, clearly, the Bible says we shouldn’t. No good comes from allowing our irritation to linger, no matter how much we think that we’re right to feel that way.
4. Saying yes when you really mean maybe
Honesty is something that the Bible preaches quite a lot. However, a lot of believers miss the line in Matthew 5:37 where Jesus simplifies honesty to people saying yes or no during conversations.
It’s easy to agree to things that we’re unsure about and to pad our words so that we don’t disappoint others in the moment, yet the Bible says we shouldn’t do this. Biblical historian Craig Blomberg also clarified that Jesus is explicitly talking about normal conversations and not legal oaths.
5. Measuring yourself by other people all day
Sadly, so many of us compare ourselves to other people, although we might not want to do so. We can’t resist comparing ourselves to others when we’re scrolling or watching, noticing those who appear to be better than us, and then using them as a measuring stick for all our actions.
But Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 10:12 about how bad such a habit is. Theologians like Scott Hafemann have said that Paul was directly talking about people trying to compete with each other inside church communities, yet it’s a warning we can apply to our regular lives as well.
6. Hitting snooze over and over
The idea of “a little sleep, a little slumber” seems all too familiar to a lot of people, as a few believers hit the snooze button on their alarm in the morning without thinking about it. But perhaps they should.
This verse warns believers that repeatedly postponing things day after day turns delaying things into part of your routine. According to the Bible, those who do so will eventually become poor & want too many things. Take it as a lesson not to procrastinate.
7. Speaking harshly when you’re irritated or tired
Yes, the majority of people don’t plan to be harsh with others, and it simply happens at the end of a long day or after you’re stuck in traffic. Perhaps you’ll snap when you’re doing normal things and your patience has started to run thin. However, Proverbs 15:1 states that giving a gentle answer turns away anger and encourages people to speak kindly to others.
The Bible warns that people shouldn’t snap at others, no matter how angry they might feel. Bible scholar Derek Kidner went into more detail by explaining that wisdom literature treats tone as a learned habit that comes from repeated choices, rather than any personality quirk. As such, you should watch your tone when speaking to others.
8. Eating & drinking past enough
Eating because it’s convenient or because you’re in a social environment feels completely normal. After all, late-night snacks are quite popular, while eating oversized portions & getting automatic refills is a pattern for so many people, although they might not realize it. But Proverbs 23:20–21 warns against being overindulgent.
In fact, it says that overindulgence is directly linked to sluggishness, encouraging people to be mindful of their eating and drinking habits. These can have a huge effect on your life. While most people only think of such a rule during holidays, it’s something the Bible says should be part of your everyday life.
9. Staying on all the time & skipping real rest
There are some people who treat rest as something optional, and they’ll fill their days with work emails & errands. They might also try to complete side projects or clean their houses. Either way, they never get any real downtime, despite the fact that Exodus 20:8–11 explicitly introduces a weekly rhythm of stopping.
Jesus himself adds more detail to this in Mark 2:27 by saying that the Sabbath was meant as a day for people to rest, rather than it being a burden. In Sabbath as Resistance, Walter Brueggemann explains that the command was a warning against the dangers of nonstop productivity. Yet a lot of believers don’t realize that because our modern schedules reward constant activity. Give yourself time to rest.
10. Collecting more stuff than you actually need
What could be wrong with having stuff? Well, according to Luke 12:15, Jesus warned people to be mindful of greed because life doesn’t come from your possessions. He was trying to tell people about how repeatedly buying & storing can cause you major issues in your life. Sadly, it’s not something many believers understand today.
We live in a culture of online shopping and seasonal sales, alongside quick upgrades, so collecting a lot of stuff seems perfectly ordinary. It shouldn’t be.
It’s unfortunately far too easy to ignore these warnings because they’re part of our ordinary routines. They’re in the conversations we have every day & the normal reactions to things around us. However, maybe it’s time for us to look at Scripture a little closer and try to live as the Bible teaches us.
