Read it: James 1:26 & Proverbs 10:18-19 & Proverbs 16:28 & Proverbs 18:21
Live it:
Playing with gossip is playing with fire. Whispers, innuendos, half-truths, rumors, and outright lies separate and destroy unity. The Bible warns us in strong terms against gossiping, telling us that our words can bring death or life, and we will suffer the consequences of idle talk (Proverbs 18:21). As humans we are drawn to the stories about others’ sins, sorrows, and suffering, and the darker the sin, the more we want to listen and share.
How do we know if we have crossed the line into gossiping in our conversations? We gossip when we are sharing bad news about others, behind their backs, with the purpose of diminishing them in some way. It is about our intentions and the negative impact our words have on the other person.
Living differently requires us to deal with gossip in a straightforward way. Jesus never talked about people; he talked directly to people. He didn’t call them out to embarrass and cancel them; he called out sinful behaviors in order to bring repentance and change hearts.
When we realize we are spreading gossip or listening to someone else spreading gossip, we need to STOP! Stop yourself or stop them, even in mid-sentence when you realize what is happening. Acknowledge you are engaging in gossip and you choose not to continue with the conversation in this negative way. Try switching to saying positive truths about the person you were discussing. If that doesn’t change the direction of the conversation, you may need to walk away. It’s not easy. It’s uncomfortable, BUT it’s the right thing to do.
To avoid the trap of gossip, try starting your day with Psalms 19:14, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Choosing to daily surrender our words and hearts to the LORD will enable us to live differently.
Kathie