My great value personality in the world.....I've joked for years that if no one sees you eat that piece of candy,
the calories don't count! Well, many pounds later, I'd have to say my
theory doesn’t work! Proverbs 18:8 says, "The words of a gossip are
like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts." So, if you're
thinking that the calories of that juicy little tidbit someone slipped
you today don't count, step up on the scales, my friend.
Gossip has no place in the life of a believer, and especially if you
are in leadership or aspire to be! We pray for power as a church and as
an individual, but often find ourselves powerless, because of the little
things we allow in our lives. If you feel like you're not getting
prayers through, or are discouraged in your Christian walk, do a heart
check. If gossip is an area you're weak in (and it requires some real
self-honesty here), then get it out of your life
now...immediately...this minute!
Gossip is like a tiny tear in the fabric of the Body of Christ, which
gets bigger every time someone begins with the line, "Don't tell anybody
I told you this, BUT..." Well, guess what? You've got the right to nip
it in the bud before the next line comes out by saying, "Stop! Don't
wanna hear it!" Gossip's not juicy, friends; it's just plain sin. You
have no idea how damaging it is to your credibility, your integrity, and
your trustworthiness to have it said of you, "You won't believe what
______(your name) just told me!" Could you even have family members who
now won't go to church, because they’ve heard you tell tales about the
pastor and church members right at your Sunday dinner table? How many
people now have a cynical, bitter attitude toward faith in Jesus Christ
because they’ve seen your example, and feel it's all a farce?
Gossip's one of those things no one wants to admit, but that anyone can
get caught up in if we allow it. It starts by coming in through our
ears and then it gets in our hearts…and then, from the abundance of the
heart, the mouth speaks! I don't want an abundance of junk in my heart,
piling up, building up pressure like Old Faithful, ready to spew out of
my mouth. Have I repeated things that hurt others before? To my great
shame, yes I have.
Gossip's become an accepted and even favored communication in today's
society. Our TV shows are infested with it. The magazine racks at the
checkout are full of garbage, today's latest lie about this one or that
one. If we learn to love gossip about perfect strangers, would we
hesitate to make it a part of our life involving the people that we
know? Inquiring minds want to know, so they say (smile)...well, I don't
want to know! When I see people on the street, or at a family
get-together, or worshiping with me in church, I don't want the lowdown
on their personal lives. I don't feel privileged if I have the "dirt" on
you...or on anyone else!
If nothing else scares you about the danger of talebearing, read Romans
1. The Apostle Paul names off a long list of detestable sins, and
GOSSIP is among them. Then he concludes by saying that those who do
these things are worthy of death! What a harsh sentence; but what a
damaging thing we do when we verbally assassinate our fellow man. Kind
of reminds us how important it is to our Father that we treat one
another well, doesn't it? Yeah, it's that important.
Scripture of the Day: "People who think
they are religious but say things they should not say are just fooling
themselves. Their "religion" is worth nothing." - James 1:26 (NCV)
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