Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Gossip:It Really is a Big Deal.


A young woman goes home from church crying. Word just got to her that some of the other women have been talking about her behind her back. Just recently, she had broken up with her boyfriend, and the rest of the women were talking about it. They were discussing with one another why they thought they broke up.

“I bet she talked down to him all the time.”
“I always knew she was too immature for him.”
“Poor guy. It’s a shame that she must have broken his heart.”
“She didn’t deserve him anyway.”

Gossip is a bigger problem than we acknowledge. It ravages people, ruins reputations, and tears churches apart; all because someone decided to inappropriately open their mouths.

Gossip is defined as, “Idle talk or rumor, especially about the private affairs of others.”

Gossip is talking about someone just to have something to talk about, and discussing things that aren’t any your business. It is a problem because it spreads like wildfire and is so easily twisted and manipulated.
It doesn’t matter if the intent is malicious or not. If you’re poking your nose into other people’s business and spreading it around, it’s STILL wrong.

In the bible, gossip is referred to as a SIN. Too often, it’s one of those sins that Christians have a tendency to put onto the backburner and see it as something that really isn’t a big deal. News flash: Gossip is a HUGE deal-whether or not you choose to see it as such.

“Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets; therefore, do not associate with a babbler.”-Proverbs 20:19

“A dishonest man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends.”-Proverbs 16:28

“Whoever goes about gossiping reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit, keeps things covered.”-Proverbs 11:13

“They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful…Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.” –Romans 1:29-32

These last verses I gave in Romans are pretty frightening. We see here that God does not consider gossip to be an unimportant sin at all! Those who practice it and encourage it are worthy of death!

Gossip is a tool that Satan has used so many times to ruin people. Gossip hurts people and hurts the Church.
Most of the time, I have noticed that they gossip because they have nothing better to do. Study your bible more; pray more; encourage others more; develop more hobbies; do more housework…just STOP talking about others behind their backs. Taste your words before you spit them out and always ask yourself, “Would I want someone to talk about this if it were me?”

Older ladies-you’re supposed to be role models to us younger women. We want to come to you when we have problems. How are we supposed to do that if we know we’ll be met with gossip and judging? It’s not enough that you smile at us and give us hugs every week and tell us that you’re praying for us. You’re always telling us that actions speak louder than words. Can you please practice what you preach?

Everything we do must be from a heart of love for others and a will to please God (Colossians 3:17, 1st John 4:7). Gossip does not come from this.

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