Gossip and a Slanderer
Gossip is ugly. It is wrong, it is damaging and there is no good reason for doing it. It is murder by the use of words. Instead of using a weapon, a gossiper destroys with words.
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines gossip as a person who reveals personal or sensational facts about others; or report of an intimate nature, chatty talk about another.
A gossiper is a person who slanders another secretly (the definition of the Greek word gossip). After all, gossip is nothing more than discussing another person with the intent to cast a bad light on their character. Slander, on the other hand, is a defamer, an evil speaker. Gossips and slanderers are in the same sentence as haters of God, inventors of evil, haughty and boastful.
And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. Romans 1:28-32 (ESV)
This is a nasty description that many Christians are guilty of. Christians have accepted this sin as not quite as bad as other sin. A Christian would not go out and murder or steal but Christians gossip. They do it at the workplace, with their friends and even at church.
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But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler.
1 Peter 4:15 (ESV)
In 1 Peter 4:15, Peter is using a thief or a murderer in comparison to another sin that is under-rated, a meddler. A meddler is a close relative to a gossip. It is man that under-rates gossip.
Here is what God has to say about gossip:
- The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.
Proverbs 26:22 (ESV) -
Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not.
1 Timothy 5:13 (ESV) -
With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor, but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.
Proverbs 11:9 (ESV) -
A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
Proverbs 16:28 (ESV) -
Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered.
Proverbs 11:13 (ESV)
Gossip is an ugly and insidious sin for it is practiced by many, not recognized as the sin that it is and is damaging to the character of the person being gossiped about.
If there is a subject to be spoken about against another, it should be taken up with that person. Gossip accomplishes nothing but evil.
Gossip is nasty, repulsive and the gossiper is displaying an attitude of self-righteousness for they are pointing out a defect in another for no purpose except to harm another.
If what we have to say about another is unkind, we guard the mouth with a muzzle.
- I said, “I will guard my ways, that I may not sin with my tongue;
I will guard my mouth with a muzzle, so long as the wicked are in my presence.” Psalm 39:1 (ESV)
A gossip is not to be trusted. We can be sure that if they are gossiping about another person, they are goss
iping about us as well.
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Sadly, this is EXACTLY why i DONT go to church.
Nubian,
You should consider picking the right church. Mine, for example, always addresses the issue of gossip when we talk about offering prayer in a group for someone else, or keeping what is said in a group inside the group.
Here’s the thing: I can say what you said about almost anything. I could say, “That’s why I don’t work in an office.” Or “That’s why I have no friends.”
Doesn’t make a lot of sense to write off a broad swath of the population. If you have other reasons for not going to church, such as you are not a believer, then that is another matter. Otherwise, I don’t think this is a supportable position.
In Christ with respect
Good post and for sure we as Christians do our share of gossiping we must continue laying this aside,gosh it’s so easy to gossip.That’s what I talked with God about and I’m asking for help to stop for I’m guilty.
Love you
Hey Pat,
Long time, not see though the fault is mine since I’ve been off my blog for several months. Good to see you.
It’s funny that you commented on this post because I am almost finished with a “sister” post to gossip. I think it’s been bothering me a lot because I’ve been seeing so much of it and see the damage it causes. I’ll probably post it tomorrow or the next day. I’m just finishing it up.
p.s. I would venture to say that most of us have been guilty of this. While I’m not making any excuses, you are not alone.
Hey Pat,
Its hard especially when you are around peoples whom entire conversation is gossip.
I try hard not to gossip because I know its wrong, but every week after church a family member
that rides home with me gossips about almost half the church members, I hate it and try hard not to get catch up in her gossip,but some times I do and this makes me feel bad, I don’t know what to do, but my desire is to get to heaven, you can bet that this is something that I will be praying hard about and asking God to remove this from my life, and to forgive me for my short coming.
I know that this is difficult for sure. What I have found myself doing when people do that is simply not respond. I remain mute. I have found that if I don’t say anything in response, they will stop as it’s no fun talking to someone who does not respond to what they’re saying. I have also found that changing the subject gently also works. For instance, if someone is gossiping about someone not doing something at church, I talk gently steer the conversation to something about church so it doesn’t seem such an abrupt change of subject.
Gossiping about someone is one of the meanest things we can do to someone. If they’re gossiping about someone, we can be pretty sure we’re also being gossiped about when we’re not around.