(Prov 18:8 GNB) Gossip is so tasty-how we love to swallow it!
Here Solomon teaches us something I know I need to heed and I trust that many others do as well; it is a warning about gossip. There is clearly a negative stigma surrounding the word gossip (and rightly so), but most people that participate in it don't acknowledge it.
Gossip basically boils down to sharing information that in most cases either 'is not' or 'should not be' public knowledge, and sharing it in a pseudo-secretive way. The problem with this type of information is the fact that, like Solomon says, it seems "tasty."
Hearing gossip is like eating a delicacy. A delicacy is something not everyone is able to eat and gossip is something not everyone is able to hear. Just like many people crave the delicacy, there is no shortage of people who crave the information (gossip). But there are many problems with gossip. In many cases the information is slanderous and unsubstantiated. Even in the cases where the information is true it is often hurtful and damaging. Gossip has a way of stirring up strife and contention, which are both things that we, as believers, should seek to avoid.
Not only can gossip be damaging to the person whom the gossip is about, it can also be damaging to the person who receives it and shares it. The Good News Bible translation of this verse reads: "The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person's innermost being." While gossip is often swallowed quickly and greedily, we have to be careful, because it will get down into our innermost being.
To explain this point I will bring up something someone just asked me about. We were talking about a movie and I said, "I liked the story of the movie, but I almost turned it off because it had too much cussing in it." He then asked, "Why? I can watch a movie with cussing and it does not bother me." I went on to explain that while it may not necessarily bother him, those words are getting DOWN INSIDE of him.
Our eyes and ears are gates to our soul. What we allow through our eye gate and ear gate eventually gets down into our heart. And it is only a matter of time before what is IN you comes OUT of you. Remember, we are what we eat. Garbage in, garbage out!
The Young's Literal Translation brings this out, it reads: "The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart." Did you catch that? The words of the gossiper are literally self-inflicted wounds! The more he received and shares gossip, the more he is hurting himself.
So what does this mean to you? It means you must resist gossip at all costs. Now, I will be honest with you and admit that this word "cut" me this morning. I love a "juicy" story just as much as the next person, but I realize that I must keep my conversation upright before God and so must you. Solomon's analogy is right. It is as hard to refuse to listen to rumors/gossip as it is to turn down a delicious dessert. Taking just one morsel of either creates a desire for more. But you can resist rumors/gossip the same way a determined dieter resists candy-never even open the box!
Father, I thank You for Your Word this morning. Your Word often cuts me and teaches me what I should and should not do. I have been warned again gossip this morning and I declare, by faith, that I will resist the urge to splurge into seemingly juicy rumors and gossip. I protect my eye and ear gates. I keep my conversation pure, my reputation intact, and my witness solid. I will only share what should be shared, in ways that are acceptable and never harmful to anyone. I will not allow corrupt communication to proceed from out of my mouth and I will only share those things which are good, that it may minister grace to the hearers. I will use my lips to build up and never tear down. As I do I will shine as light in the midst of darkness! In Jesus' name. Amen!
Not only can gossip be damaging to the person whom the gossip is about, it can also be damaging to the person who receives it and shares it. The Good News Bible translation of this verse reads: "The words of a gossip are swallowed greedily, and they go down into a person's innermost being." While gossip is often swallowed quickly and greedily, we have to be careful, because it will get down into our innermost being.
To explain this point I will bring up something someone just asked me about. We were talking about a movie and I said, "I liked the story of the movie, but I almost turned it off because it had too much cussing in it." He then asked, "Why? I can watch a movie with cussing and it does not bother me." I went on to explain that while it may not necessarily bother him, those words are getting DOWN INSIDE of him.
Our eyes and ears are gates to our soul. What we allow through our eye gate and ear gate eventually gets down into our heart. And it is only a matter of time before what is IN you comes OUT of you. Remember, we are what we eat. Garbage in, garbage out!
The Young's Literal Translation brings this out, it reads: "The words of a tale-bearer are as self-inflicted wounds, And they have gone down to the inner parts of the heart." Did you catch that? The words of the gossiper are literally self-inflicted wounds! The more he received and shares gossip, the more he is hurting himself.
So what does this mean to you? It means you must resist gossip at all costs. Now, I will be honest with you and admit that this word "cut" me this morning. I love a "juicy" story just as much as the next person, but I realize that I must keep my conversation upright before God and so must you. Solomon's analogy is right. It is as hard to refuse to listen to rumors/gossip as it is to turn down a delicious dessert. Taking just one morsel of either creates a desire for more. But you can resist rumors/gossip the same way a determined dieter resists candy-never even open the box!
Father, I thank You for Your Word this morning. Your Word often cuts me and teaches me what I should and should not do. I have been warned again gossip this morning and I declare, by faith, that I will resist the urge to splurge into seemingly juicy rumors and gossip. I protect my eye and ear gates. I keep my conversation pure, my reputation intact, and my witness solid. I will only share what should be shared, in ways that are acceptable and never harmful to anyone. I will not allow corrupt communication to proceed from out of my mouth and I will only share those things which are good, that it may minister grace to the hearers. I will use my lips to build up and never tear down. As I do I will shine as light in the midst of darkness! In Jesus' name. Amen!
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