I recently read an article written by Dr. Charles Stanley, in which he discussed the harmful, often devastating effects of gossip....
Unfortunately, gossip is something we as a society have readily embraced as a favorite past time. Especially as it relates to the lives of many celebrities...after all, "Enquiring minds wanna know." Right????
Well, the Word of God would offer us a totally different perspective on this matter and it is one we would all be wise to take heed of....
If we were to take only a moment to be perfectly honest with ourselves before Almighty God, we could all truly say we have either been on the receiving end as a victim of gossip, or we have at one time or another been the perpetrators of it against someone else....I readily and freely admit, that God has called me away from associating with entire groups of individuals.....not because of THEIR behavior, but because of MY OWN when I was privy to their company....gossip was all too often the order of the day...and as we all know, the more of it we partake of; the more of it we become comfortable with and desensitized by....
In his article titled "The Words of our Mouth..." Dr. Stanley used the above scripture reference from the book of James, in which the Apostle likens the destructive nature of the tongue to a fire that sets a forest ablaze leaving behind nothing but charred ruins in it's wake.....As we have very recently had raging wildfires here in NC that have left many thousands of acres of forest land destroyed; the illustration from God's word rang ever more true for me...as much as for a remembrance of the hurtful effects of words of gossip which have been spoken against me; but most and even more importantly, as a warning against the one's that I have carelessly spoken against others because.... "when we allow our words to become like flaming arrows against someone's reputation, they burn up all that is good and leave ruin in their wake." (1)
I'm sure many of us can relate to those friendships we've lost or had marred by the poison of gossip.... where despite your best efforts at reconciliation, things were never quite the same because of the damage that had been done by a few ill-thought words...All too often, we never stop to consider how gossip not only damages and harms the victim, but those who listen...."Since words by their very nature are influential, those who listen to gossip are also affected by it...few can hear negative comments and not let them shape our perception and feelings about others. Those who listen to rumors and criticism are allowing poison to enter their hearts and minds while opening the door to temptation to pass the news along to someone else." (2)
If for no other reason, God has quickened my spirit to guard my heart against gossip for this very cause and has placed within me a desire to pursue only those relationships where I (and those I interact with) are free to be vulnerable and transparent without fear of becoming the next subject of conversation.....Remember My Dear Friends, gossip not only endangers those who hear it and have it spoken about them, it snares the one who speaks it by revealing the character of their heart..."the inner character of those who gossip is always obvious to those with discernment. Gossips actually deprive themselves of good, healthy relationships and their friendships are limited because they've proven themselves untrustworthy through the words they speak...."(3)
What then, you may ask, is the remedy for gossip? A changed heart....since words flow out of the abundance of the heart, changing the content of the heart, will also change the context of our words...."to be truly free from the sin of gossip, we require transformation from the inside out. And that is exactly what Christ specializes in doing. He can create in us new hearts which honor Him and comfort those who hear." (4)
This battle will take daily confession as well as minute by minute awareness of what we are entertaining and expressing in and through our speech...it's not an easy fight to wage, and there will be days when we feel we've failed miserably.... nevertheless, it is a battle that God wants us to be absolutely victorious in!!! Trust Him and seek only Him...and....expect the gossip about you to increase as you seek to make this change!!! It's rather ironic that that should be the case, but if folks must talk, then Who better than Christ for them to accuse you of???
In Touch Magazine: May 2011; "Guarding Against Gossip: The Words of our Mouth" Written by Dr. Charles F. Stanley
Reference # 1: Pg. 6
Reference #2: Pg 9
Reference #3: Pg.9
Reference #4: Pg.10
