Gossip: November 16, 2011

NOVEMBER 16 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 16, 2011.

GOSSIP

DEFINITION:

A rumor; revealing personal or sensational facts about others; Trifling talk about other people; an idle talker; discussing other peoples affairs.

SCRIPTURE:

A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and an arrow. Proverbs 25:18.

A perverse man stirs up dissension and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Gossip defined really is the act of someone sharing with another party information about a third party that is most often just a rumor that is not true or at least stretching the truth. Most certainly it is not complimentary to the third party and is most often very hurtful.

Our sinful nature causes us to relish juicy tidbits of gossip. We love to hear about someone’s rumored indiscretion and we can’t wait to tell others. The most prevalent place for gossip is in the work place. In fact it has gotten so bad that now a person can get fired for gossiping in certain workplaces. According to a recent poll, the average employee gossips 65 hours a year. Notice that this includes all employees --- that is over ¾ of an hour each and every week if someone works 50 weeks a year.

There are some work places that take corrective approaches to gossip. They range from firing the one that gossips to a group in the entertainment industry that takes the time to pray for a person who is making bad choices rather than spreading the facts or rumors to more people.

There is no place in the life of a believer for gossip. As believers it is clear what God wants from us concerning gossiping. Exodus 20:16 reads, “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” That is quite clear and simple to understand. In the verse we wrote above from Proverbs it is stated very strongly that the use of our words in a gossiping situation is like a club, a sword and a sharp arrow.

Clubs, swords and sharp arrows are weapons that cause great pain and harm. Like a weapon, gossip causes pain and does great harm. The writer of Proverbs 16:28 tells us that gossip is harmful because it stirs up dissension and separates close friends.

Unfortunately, we have heard many people gossip in church. Of all places this is a place that should not be a place for gossip. Gossip feeds into our natural desires to feel superior to others and to belong or fit in with the crowd. If you choose to love others and be concerned about others you will live in a Gossip free zone. You can never justify gossip. It is better to pray for someone. If you are praying for a person you will find it difficult to gossip about them.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Hebrews 10:36.

For you have need for endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

PRAYER:

Lord, forgive me for speaking carelessly about others to make myself look better. Help me to think before I speak and show a Christ-like love to all that I talk to. Teach me to be loving in my words.