THE BETRAYING NATURE OF GOSSIP

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing.

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.

Proverbs 11:13, 12:22, 13:17, 16:28, 18:8, 20:19

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Have you ever gossiped? Have you ever talked about someone behind their back or helped spread a rumor without knowing whether it was true or not or shared something with someone that you were supposed to keep in confidence?

It’s a wicked, little transgression that we all have engaged in at some time or another. In fact, it happens so much that we often do it without a second thought of just how sinful, and many times destructive, it is. Writer Erma Bombeck had this to say about it:

“Some say our national pastime is baseball. Not me. It's gossip”

Sad, but unfortunately true.

So why do we do it? Why do we revel so much in talking about others, often betraying their trust?

Perhaps it’s because it’s easier than looking within ourselves and seeing what needs correction.

You see, in some twisted way, we feel a sense of elevation when we bring someone down with our gossip. We make ourselves feel like we’re better when we’re really worse or at least just as bad as the one or ones we’re talking about. Writer Sean Covey, author of The Seven Habits of Effective Teens, asked this probing question:

“Isn't it kind of silly to think that tearing someone else down builds you up?”

I would actually say that it’s one of our great human tragedies, turning to something so dreadfully sinful instead of coming before God and seeking His help in exposing what’s wrong in our hearts and minds and then trying to do everything we can do to fix what needs fixing. When we gossip, we not only betray others but we betray God through our behavior. Perhaps, instead of talking about others, we should model the attitude of the psalmist who came before the Lord and said these words:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:23-24

When we do this, we are looking within ourselves introspectively and not talking outward about others. We show a desire to trend toward righteousness and away from wickedness. We choose trustworthiness and integrity over betrayal and dishonesty.

Solomon has quite a bit to say in his proverbs about the betraying, damaging, sinful nature of gossip and slander. Look at these half dozen verses:

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:13

The Lord detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy. Proverbs 12:22

A wicked messenger falls into trouble, but a trustworthy envoy brings healing. Proverbs 13:17

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 18:8

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much. Proverbs 20:19

Look deep within these words of God and you will find soul piercing reasons to avoid gossip.

1. Any person who is in and of God will not want to be around you.

A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.

If you are willing to betray someone else’s confidence and talk to me about them, it’s only a matter of time before you will turn on me too.

2. The sinfulness of gossip penetrates to the depths of one’s soul. They pollute the sender and the receiver.

The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

The Israelites refrained from putting yeast into their bread because it represented sin. On the surface, yeast didn’t look like much but it changed the character of whatever it entered. Bread, for example, rises into the puffiness we know it for. Symbolically, gossip is like yeast in that when we take it in, it goes to our inmost parts and infects us sinfully. This is why we should not only refrain from doing it but avoid those who choose to do it.

3. It’s a good way to lose friends.

A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.

There have been more than a few close friendships destroyed by a betrayal of trust, particularly when gossip was involved.

4. You can find yourself in trouble.

A wicked messenger falls into trouble.

We’ve just looked at how gossip wrecks relationships but think about the number of lawsuits that have been brought against people who have spread slander. It’s more trouble than it’s worth but for those who continue to talk about others in sinful ways, the Lord will bring negative consequences.

5. You will be detested by the Lord.

The Lord detests lying lips.

This is the worst penalty of all. Is there any place more precarious and dangerous than being detested by the Lord? I can’t think of any.

This would be the one proverb I would keep in mind the next time you decide to deceive others and betray their trust.

Friends, the word of God is clear here when it comes to the betraying nature of gossip. We’re not to do it period. Instead, we’re to be trustworthy and we can be just that when we allow the One who is perfectly trustworthy to lead the way. Join me today in the following prayer to that end:

Lord, forgive me for the times when I have gossiped against another. Guide my steps, I pray, and help me so that the words of my lips and the meditations of my heart are pleasing in Your sight, now and forever.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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