Gossip, Break free! HAH, Mar'10

Hey, do you know what’s going on with Jill? Listen; do you know where I saw Bozo and Lizzy? Hey just wait till you hear about my manager. Sounds familiar? How many times in a day do we engage or indulge ourselves in this kind of mindless talk? Is this helping us or is this indulgence becoming an addiction leading us to no good?

A layman’s perspective…

Let’s find out more reading the below transcript from the discussion that we had at the HAH Fellowship Meeting at KMC last Saturday (March 6th). The topics for discussion were thoughtfully classified as below, and what you will read is the conclusion of the discussion between various groups.

Why do we gossip?
We gossip because we are simply human. We want to make friends, we want to sound interesting, and we love attention. Sometimes we gossip just for fun or out of curiosity. And, sometimes to defame people we don’t like. Hmm, surprised??? But, that’s us.

What are the pros and cons of gossiping?
There can be no positives when it comes to gossip. However, a lot of negatives can be talked about. Information can get distorted as people start gossiping and really lack content or even meaning or truth by the time it reaches the beholders ears. Gossip could end up damaging relationships. It can even lead to people losing trust and confidence in you. It’s not hard to imagine that all this can happen, and I’m sure most of us have experienced these scenarios may times in our lives. And, talk about damage control after that!

What leads to gossip?
Gossip is nowadays a relieving stress-buster. People gossip to socialize and network. As human’s we have an inherent nature to tell/share stories, stories about ourselves about others. Gossip is also used to make a point and at times get noticed.

What kinds of information are exchanged when we gossip?
Gossip is usually sharing information about people whom we know directly or indirectly.

How do we respond to Gossip?
Confront, pray, ignore or avoid. Simple words, yet very powerful. Tell people who indulge in Gossip that it’s not right. Pray for them, for God to give them wisdom and understanding. Ignore, just keep doing your work. Or simply avoid them and don’t be part of that group.

In conclusion, all of this simply goes to show how much time we waste talking meaningless talk. Let’s not be victims to such mindlessness and what’s more God does not like this one single bit, as we discover in the forthcoming section.

From His Word, unto us!

What does the Bible have to say about Gossip? Ashley Chris brings us the Bible perspective.

1. Idle mind leads to gossip, leading to mindless talk that is done without thinking. Always think before you speak.

1 Timothy 5: 12-13
12Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. 13Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to.

2. Avoid people who talk too much.

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

3. A man who lacks understanding can talk about others for hours, betraying confidence.

Proverbs 11:12-13
12 A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. 13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

4. Come out of the situation, avoid people who gossip.

Proverbs 18:7-8
7 A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul. 8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts.

5. Do not judge others with your words, or be prepared to be judged.

Matthew 7:1
1"Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

Further Reading

Ephesians 4:29
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.

Deuteronomy 13:14
14 then you must inquire, probe and investigate it thoroughly. And if it is true and it has been proved that this detestable thing has been done among you

Matthew 7:12
12So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Proverbs 26 [Click to read passage]