GOSSIP

         Category:   Religion and Philosophy    Monday, December 10, 2007

 
 

     

 

The other day I had heard some rather disturbing news. I had originally thought this news had little to do with me on a personal level, as it was not about me or my family, but after a couple of days passed I realized that it really did have an impact on me. So, I decided to share my heart on the subject In hopes of helping others understand my concern.

          It all started on the day I volunteered to serve at one of our church Yuletide presentations. What an awesome day that was. I met a bunch of incredible people that seemed to love each other individually and collectively as a body. It was a special time for me. My family has been serving here for some time but much to my discredit, I had never really volunteered at our current church.  Because of some past negative experiences at another church, I had built a tall wall after leaving there over three years ago, so it was hard for me to get back into the flow of things. Last month I was feeling conviction about serving in my church, so I felt it was time to allow myself to serve wherever the Lord would have.  In fact I had met with the pastor a few weeks before the Christmas presentation and I had told him to let me know where they had a need and I would be there. A couple of days later the music director told me that he needed food / beverage servers for the church Yuletide presentation and asked if I would help there, so I did. Wow, what a cool experience that was. In fact to be honest it was so good that I couldn't sleep afterwards because I was still excited about the spiritual uplift I had received from giving myself to the service of my Lord. That was on Saturday.  

          Sunday came with our family gathering together to eat and fellowship as usual after church. We talked about the church program and how awesome it was and also how nice it was to be involved with a good church.

I had heard about a situation in the church body. It involved a couple of folks and negative talk that was being passed to and fro.  I had discerned that there was a problem a few weeks earlier and now I had affirmation that my discernment was correct.

          I want you to understand the spiritual gift of discernment. No, I can't read your mind! Close but not quite J. Often times I sense my spirit being attacked or quenched but I can't put my finger on exactly what is causing this overwhelming sensation. By the way discernment works two ways. You can experience positives as well as negatives. Anyway, usually if I can keep silent and wait the Spirit will reveal what the problem is. When that happens it is for a purpose. That's why God gives us gifts, so He can use them through us. Therefore, when I realized what the problem was I also realized that I needed to write on it. The problem? Gossip!

          I often times wonder what would happen today if God were to act immediately with us when we seriously mess up, like he did with the husband and wife tag team that lied to Peter about selling their land and giving all the proceeds to the church.  Peter told them they were dead because of that sin, and behold they were dead, carried out, and planted in a twinkling of an eye.  Whew!  I think a lot of people would give their choices a second thought before acting if that were the case.  Of course if God decided to immediately act when He sees sin, none of us would be here!

          Anyway, I am here to tell you that God does still immediately act when there is sin. It may be that sometimes the action is death, but it also can be something just as bad. That something is destroyed lives.

           Let's go to the bible for a minute. The word describes gossip as something that Divides, discourages, destroys, deceives, and is Satan's language.

Also

James 3:5, 6 -THE TONGUE IS A LITTLE MEMBER, AND BOASTETH GREAT THINGS. BEHOLD, HOW GREAT A MATTER A LITTLE FIRE KINDLETH! AND THE TONGUE IS A FIRE, A WORLD OF INIQUITY: SO IS THE TONGUE AMONG OUR MEMBERS, THAT IT DEFILETH THE WHOLE BODY, AND SETTETH ON FIRE THE COURSE OF NATURE; AND IT IS SET ON FIRE OF HELL.

Or how about;

1 Tim 5:13-AND WITHAL THEY LEARN TO BE IDLE, WANDERING ABOUT FROM HOUSE TO HOUSE; AND NOT ONLY IDLE, BUT TATTLERS ALSO AND BUSYBODIES, SPEAKING THINGS WHICH THEY OUGHT NOT.

What about this command? Note he did not say please.

Eph 4:29-LET NO CORRUPT COMMUNICATION PROCEED OUT OF YOUR MOUTH, BUT THAT WHICH IS GOOD TO THE USE OF EDIFYING, THAT IT MAY MINISTER GRACE UNTO THE HEARERS.

There are hundreds of references in the scriptures that define exactly how God feels about our wagging tongues. None of them are encouraging if you are a person that loves to backbite another.

Think about this;

1 Peter 4:15. "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters"

Notice that a "busybody" is placed in the same company as "murderers, thieves, and evildoers." That's heavy!

Here's what a gossip can count on to happen for them;

  • Gossip is as sinful as murder and will suffer the same consequences unless there is repentance (Rom. 1:32).
  • God holds you accountable to your words (Matt. 12:36-37).
  • The person who gossips to you about others, also gossips to others about you.
  • Gossip & slander disqualifies persons for spiritual leadership (1 Tim. 3:11, Jas. 3:2).
  • Gossip often masks as pretentious concerns for others.
  • Gossip often thrives upon secrecy. Where secrecy is removed, gossip is hampered.
  • Gossip always contributes to a problem and never to a solution.
  • Gossip always distorts and exaggerates, and is never a reliable source of truth.
  • Those who gossip & slander are not in right fellowship with God (Rom. 1:28-32).
  • Those who gossip rarely get answers to prayer, and often face persistent, unexplainable problems (Psalms 66:18, Prov. 21:23, Prov. 6:12-15).

Why is God so upset about gossip? Because He loves people and gossip is nothing but a destroyer of people. Even if you think you have gotten away with the talk, you can bet it will come back to you magnified in ways you will not want to deal with.

The reason I wrote this letter is simple. Even at the least destructive level, gossip hurts. With me I was compelled to write this because my spirit was quenched by talk about someone I don't know very well about a subject I know nothing about. If it affected me in this way, how much more does it affect the body as a whole? Friends, gossip is a cancer in the body that needs to be surgically removed. If that cancer started with you please remove it and repent, before God acts. 

Read these solutions;

  • If you have been a gossiper, confess this as sin and ask Christ to forgive you. "Repent" by turning in a new direction and surrendering your tongue to Christ, not to gossip or bad-mouth again (1 John 1:9, 1 Cor. 7:10).
  • Keep your nose out of other people's business.
  • If you can't say something good or encouraging about others, then keep your mouth shut (Eph. 4:29).
  • Never criticize another person, except to their own face with intent to help. Criticism can never be "constructive" if expressed to anyone else.
  • If your "friends" start bad-mouthing others to you, stop them in their tracks -- refuse to be a partaker of their sins (1 Tim 5:22).
  • Avoid association with persons who gossip (Prov. 20:19).
  • Expose works of darkness by reporting gossip to the pastor that he may confront and offer correction. Gossip should be treated as any other vile sin (Eph. 5:11).

"I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth as long as the wicked are in my presence" (Psalms 39:1).

Until Later; Dave

 

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