Gossip Hurts
One sister tells another some inside information about what another sister is planning to do. The second sister can do nothing with this information, she will simply have to let it sit in her heart and stew over it convinced by this new info that the third sister is trying to get at her - to do her harm. But she can't try to confirm the info because the first sister asked her not to tell anyone.
So the long loose tongue of the first sister has done Satan's work. The second sister now has a bitter heart against the third, but can do nothing with the info because she is sworn to secrecy. The third sister is oblivious to the fact that her words spoken in confidence have run their course and made their way to a destination it was never intended for. Perhaps she had no intended malice in speaking those words, but she is now, guilty or not, the object of the second sister's anger.
Unfortunately, this story is true. I can only imagine that similar stories can be written by the thousands.
As I read Romans this morning two verses hit me concerning gossip:
Rom 13:10 - Love does no harm to its neighbor.
Rom 14:19 - Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Perhaps it would be good to share these verses with sister one and ask "How did the information you shared promote love, when the info could only vex the other sisters soul?" Also "How did the info you shared promote peace?" It didn't and couldn't. It could only promote discord and disunity among brothers.
Gossip promotes disunity - one of those traits that Jesus said would help non-believers distinguish us as true Christians.
GOD HELP US!
So the long loose tongue of the first sister has done Satan's work. The second sister now has a bitter heart against the third, but can do nothing with the info because she is sworn to secrecy. The third sister is oblivious to the fact that her words spoken in confidence have run their course and made their way to a destination it was never intended for. Perhaps she had no intended malice in speaking those words, but she is now, guilty or not, the object of the second sister's anger.
Unfortunately, this story is true. I can only imagine that similar stories can be written by the thousands.
As I read Romans this morning two verses hit me concerning gossip:
Rom 13:10 - Love does no harm to its neighbor.
Rom 14:19 - Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.
Perhaps it would be good to share these verses with sister one and ask "How did the information you shared promote love, when the info could only vex the other sisters soul?" Also "How did the info you shared promote peace?" It didn't and couldn't. It could only promote discord and disunity among brothers.
Gossip promotes disunity - one of those traits that Jesus said would help non-believers distinguish us as true Christians.
GOD HELP US!
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