Monday, October 01, 2007

Shame on you!

by teresa

I looked up gossip in the dictionary...here's what I found.

gossip - a report (often malicious) about the behavior of other people.
synonyms: hearsay, rumor, untruths, slander

gossip - a person given to gossiping and divulging personal information about others.
synonyms: scandalmonger, blabbermouth, tattletale, magpie, snoop, meddler

Our family experienced the effects of a gossip this weekend. Not the first time in our lives...and I'm sure not the last. The funniest instance is when someone gossiped about Chris...to Chris. Not realizing who he was. *hee hee* Someone hearing personal information from one(a very trusted ex-friend)....and passing it to many, many others. And under the pretense of "worrying" or..."just to make sure you knew (and you, and you, and you)".
Christian gossips are the worst. You know them. They come to you and say something like..."we need to pray for Sally...did you know her husband is running around on her....she really needs our prayers". Most of the time (and in our case) it is nothing but half-truths and heresay. I pity the people(you know who you are) who make themselves feel better by talking down about others. Sad...very sad.

What you don't see with your eyes, don't witness with your mouth. ~Jewish Proverb

Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you. ~Spanish Proverb

Leviticus 19:16 Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbors life. I am the Lord.

Proverbs 11:13 A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret.

Romans 1:29 They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips.

1 Timothy 5:13 Besides, 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.

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

Proverbs 18:8 The words of gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a mans inmost parts.

Before you repeat a story about others, ask yourself, Is it true? Is it harmless? Is it necessary? If the answer is "no" to any of these questions, do not repeat it.

2 comments:

Zephra said...

Gossip can destroy and i find i have to guard myself against it often...both from others and myself.

Anonymous said...

... and the Apostle Paul said in Phillipians 4:8 ...

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

If you carry this to it's reasonable conclusion it would include what you say. If you aren't thinking it, you won't say it.

I'm sorry your family has been affected by the arrows of gossip. Especially you guys because you are so careful not to participate in idle gossip. These are good words for all who read. We all need to be reminded of this now and again.