Many phrases create excitement, but few compare to "Girl let me TELL YOU!" Or "You wouldn’t believe what I just heard!" These phrases stir up an unconscious thirst inside us that needs to be quenched, so we cry out "Spill the TEA!"
"The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body"
(Proverbs 18:8 ESV)
Gossip, is the sneakiest sin there is! The conversation is off to a great start, but before you know it, you’re an hour deep into a story about someone who isn't even present, throwing in your "advice" and opinions ! This is an area I constantly have to check myself in. #I'mGuilty
I find it to be most challenging because the lines of gossip can be blurred. You may think, "Well technically I'm not gossiping because the details I'm sharing are true...I'm not making this stuff up!" But that kind of thinking is why it's so hard to recognize the trap. I recently read an article that broke down eight different types of gossip and "Dishin the dirt" was on the list!
“Dishin’ the dirt” basically means sharing the “juicy info” you learned about someone. Maybe the intent isn’t to directly cause damage, but by keeping the gossip alive, it continues to spread and taint the image of the person it’s about." ("8 Types of Gossip," 2012).
Uh-oh! So just because it's true doesn’t mean it's ok to share it! "Sharing" can easily slip into Slander, which is Gossip's best friend and she's like poison! It comes in the form of rumors or lies, "I heard she/he use to blah and so and so said they blah..." It's the non-factual parts added to the story mixed in with opinions. Or maybe it's the way you describe someone, "Watch your back around so-and-so," "They are so annoying and lazy" Slander completely taints your view of a person's character before you ever get the chance to meet them or it deepens your dislike or distrust in them simply based off what you've "heard".
'Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow."
(Proverbs 25:18)
Now, don't get me wrong, not everyone qualifies as "good company" and we should be cautious of the actions & character of others, but, when you stop viewing them as valuable to God & His grace, or when you somehow forget that you too have made mistakes, you start looking LESS like Jesus and more like the pharisees. #That’sNOTaGoodLook
But what if you're not the one dishing it out you ask? Well simply entertaining a conversation about someone else's' business could tempt you. This is where I get caught in the trap! I don't go looking for gossip! It finds me, invites me, and I seldomly deny the invitation once I've heard the first sentence! It's best to avoid the conversation all together, Look for the way out!
"Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander."
(Proverbs 17:4)
It’s a classic strategy of the enemy to trick us into devaluing each other, feuding with each other, or even worse, comparing our sins! Like somehow our "secret sin" or past sins are not as bad as the person's we're discussing #WRONG, don't be fooled, ALL sin is equal.
What better way to cause division then spreading lies? What better way to fuel bitterness, mistrust, and un-forgiveness then through tearing each other down with conversations that don't edify?
We gotta watch out for the triggers and the traps yall! The enemy sets them up all around us, at work, school, home, maybe even CHURCH! Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify your triggers and the ways in which you can avoid the enemies gossip & slander traps! How about we stop talking about people and their weaknesses and intercede for them in prayer instead?
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs,
that it may benefit those who listen."
(Ephesians 4:29)
The Father is clear on His standard against Gossip and slanderers! It's not that He wants our conversations to be boring or for us not to confide in one another, but He wants our hearts to be pure and for us to truly walk in love. Nowadays, before I jump into a conversation about someone I often ask myself "Is this gossip?" When in doubt CLOSE YOUR MOUTH! Lol and if you just can't keep it in tell God...He already knows.
"Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure"
(Psalm 101:5)
Grace & Peace Be With You,
Kaneisha
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Reference
8 Types of Gossip, 26 Bible Verses. (2012, May 2). Retrieved from http://goingbyfaith.com/types-of-gossip/