Bible Verse of the Day Friday August 11th, 2023

Proverbs 17:9 Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.

Some might say, “well it’s just a little innocent gossip,” However, the wise teacher here in this verse of scripture from the Book of Proverbs tells that repeating gossip can cause a relation between even close friends to shatter.

There were three preachers that had gone on a retreat with each other. Towards the end of the outing, they decided to share their shortcomings with each other. The first preacher said my weakness in Cigars, when I am out of town alone, I like to light up a good cigar. The second preacher said my weakness in whiskey. When I am out of town and know that no one I know is watching I drink a little whiskey. The third said my weakness is gossip and I can’t wait to get back and tell everyone I know about your weaknesses.  

Some people have a difficult time knowing what gossip is and when it is being spread. Rick Warren gave a great definition of gossip and how we know when we are gossiping. He said this, “When we are talking about a situation with somebody who is neither part of the problem or part of the solution, then we are probably gossiping.”

There are three basic forms of gossip. The first is idle speech, which is thoughtless and inconsiderate information that one spreads to others who have no real reason to know it. This is the work of meddlers who have nothing better to do than stick their noses in other people’s situations. The second form of gossip is malicious speech. This is someone with a clear, though often sparsely camouflaged, purpose of causing harm to the person they are gossiping about. It could be that what they are saying about the person is true. However, instead of speaking the truth in love they mean to inflict harm and damage that person’s reputation.

Ephsians.4:15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.

The third and possibly the most damaging form of gossip is slander. The person that intentionally slanders another person has a clear but thin purpose and that is to pervert the truth and intentionally speak falsehoods about the other person with the intent purpose to cause harm to someone.

I found this description of gossip detailing itself, I will close with this description of gossip from Laura Schlessinger:

 My name is Gossip. I have no respect for justice. I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives. I am cunning and malicious and gather strength with age. The more I am quoted, the more I am believed. I flourish at every level of society. My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no face. To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become. I am nobody’s friend. Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same. I topple governments, wreck marriages, and ruin careers -- cause sleepless nights, heartaches, and indigestion. I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses… I make headlines and headaches.

Before you repeat a story, ask yourself, Is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary? If not, then clam up! Remember what we were all taught as early as grammar school. If you can't say something nice about someone don't say anything at all.