DON'T BAD MOUTH

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In Christ, Mark

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

Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.

Ecclesiastes 10:20 (The Message)

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

If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.

Maybe you have heard the saying before. I know my mother used it many times to teach me how we should talk about others, how we should avoid bad mouthing people.

Now, there were those times when I didn’t listen to the wise guidance of my mother. I think we’re all maybe guilty of doing it once or twice. And so one day, I decided to speak badly about someone behind their back. Surely, there is no way they would ever find out what I said, I thought.

Well guess what? They did find out. Someone who heard my conversation decided to go and tell the person what I said and then the person I talked about came to me to personally express their displeasure. It was embarrassing to have to listen to a person vent on me but I deserved it. I should have listened to my mother and not said anything bad about the person. After all, who am I to talk bad about anyone given the sinner that I am?

Well, this matter of watching what you say and especially refraining from bad mouthing someone is central to the final verse in Ecclesiastes, Chapter 10. The only difference is that there can be much more at stake than just getting chewed out if the person you are talking badly about finds out what you said. Look at this verse again:

Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, And don’t abuse your betters, even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide. (v 20)

Back in biblical days, rulers often had people who served as spies and informants, paid to listen and bring back any information that might be considered a threat. Even talking bad about a ruler, if done within earshot of one of these informants, could land someone in deep trouble with imprisonment or even execution a possible consequence. There was a lot at stake if you didn’t watch what you said and where you said it.

Perhaps we would be well served to heed the warning found in this word of God. For gossip is not only sinful but potentially damaging to us and the relationships we have with others. Talking about our boss could result in losing our job if they get wind of it. Talking about a family member might come back around to scar the relationship with that family member for life.

So how do we prevent ourselves from failing and falling in this matter? How do we avoid the temptation to talk badly about others behind their back?

As in so many other areas, it’s all about Jesus.

For when we live with His Spirit abiding within our hearts and minds, then the words we use will be words that love and not hate. They will be words that support and not undermine. They will be words that edify, encourage, and build up not tear down and destroy.

Want to keep from bad mouthing? Speak like Jesus.

Better yet, allow Him to speak through you.  

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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