5 Reason why you Ought to Rethink Gossip... (Post #49)

Sure, there are Christians who avoid and despise gossip, but there’s a reason why the Bible addresses the topic.  

Pookie infamously said, “it be callin' me, man... I just got to go to it!” (PSA:  if you’re a reader of this blog and you don’t know who ‘Pookie’ is, don’t worry about it.)  Now, when he made this statement, he was referring to crack cocaine.  However, I believe that there are many that would make the same statement about something non-narcotic, but just as addictive. 

It’s hot when it’s not about you, and you’re heated when it is about you.  It’s the thing that everyone hates to be the subject of; however, they can’t get enough of wanting to know more about it.  

Hate it or love it, gossip is a major part of our modern culture and way of life. 

​I used to listen to a lot of morning radio.  I have since let much of it go because they all seem to have a common bond.  In the midst of each show there is ALWAYS a segment on celebrity gossip.  A portion of the program dedicated to spreading things that ‘might’ be true.  Some of the items discussed do in time manifest themselves to be factual.  However, a great deal of the time, the items are not just false, they’re also desperate, insulting, and insensitively designed to hurt. 

​I wish I could tell you that believers see gossip different; however, such a statement would be naïve at best.  Sure, there are Christians who avoid and despise gossip, but there’s a reason why the Bible addresses the topic.  

Why else would Paul be inspired of God to share these words with Timothy, “Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.” (cf. 1 Timothy 5:13 / ESV)

Paul addressed the matter because he knew that the problem of gossip was not only real in the world; rather, it was also real in the church. 

Today, I’d like to address 5 reasons why you may want to rethink gossip. 

• What Goes Around Comes Around:  Job 4:8 powerfully states, “As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.”(ESV)  It should absolutely be expected that if you involve yourself in the circulation of bad information about others, soon you’ll be on the defensive concerning information about yourself.  I believe one of the best and most effective means to avoid gossip, is to simple consider the most recent time when you were the victim of it. 
• Be Careful - They may be God’s Anointed:  Can you imagine spreading gossip about someone, only to learn that the person you shared it with, was their mother?  Think about how disastrous that might be.   After you consider this reality, consider how an all-knowing God deals with people who gossip about His children?  God told Abraham in Genesis 12:3, “I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse…”(ESV).  
• Vengeance is NOT Your Property:  Gossip, like insults, are words that can be used as weapons.  These weapons are typically armed when we know or believe we’ve been on the receiving end of a similar attack.  We say things like, “And I know she’s not talking about me, because she knows I know some stuff about her…”   Have enough faith in God to know that He is ready and willing to fight your battles.  Romans 12:19 says, “Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God's wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord.”(CSB)
• Talking bad about other people tells them more about you than your words tell them about the targeted person:  It’s the message within the message.  The word unspoken.  As you’re telling people slanderous information about another, those listening are simultaneously gaining information about you.  They are making decisions about whether or not you’re trustworthy.  They’re concluding that if you’ll talk about him, you’ll definitely do the same thing to them.  They note you to be devious, fickle, dishonest, disloyal, and unfaithful.  You’re all the while thinking the word is out about them, when in fact, it’s really out on you. 
• Oh yeah, and let’s not forget that you will eventually get caught:  Picture this, you have hot news.  You can’t wait.  You get on your phone and you detail it to a group chat of your friends.  However, after you hit ‘Send’ one of your friends sends you a screenshot of the recipients of your message.  And to your surprise, the subject of your text, is also one of the recipients of it.  Yep.  Yikes.
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So, what did you think?  What did I miss?  What are your thoughts on gossip?  How has it impacted you?  Let me know in the comments below.  Subscribe on the home page, share this post, and thanks for your support. 
 
Imperfectly, 

Kevin D. Jones, Sr.

Author and Publisher of Perfectly Imperfect Perfectionist
(@kevindjonessr)
(@imperfection360)