Everyone likes a good story...right?

Everyone likes a good story, right? Well, not necessarily. What about the person the story is about? Does that person like the story? Most likely not. Spreading rumors and telling untrue stories only hurts others and destroys our credibility. Who is going to trust us when they think we’ll tell everyone else?

Gossip is also a sign that we are not really active in our faith and in our lives. The more time we spend in our Bibles, the less time we have for what’s going on in other people’s lives, which isn’t our business anyway.

James 1:26- If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Gossip springs from boredom. It may start as a simple conversation about people, and then escalates quickly. The Bible clearly tells us to do more than discuss other people’s lives.

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.

Ps. 34:13- Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

Prov. 13:3- He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.

Prov. 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

Leviticus 19:16 – Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s 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.

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

If you catch yourself falling into gossip – stop. If you don’t pass on the gossip there is nowhere for it to go.

 Proverbs 26:20 – Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

If you want to avoid gossip, focus on creating helpful and encouraging statements and conversation. Let the gossip end with you and remember the Golden Rule – if you don’t want people to gossip about you, then don’t participate in gossip.

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

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.

Slander, backbiting, gossip, whatever you want to call it, is an easy thing to catch yourself doing.  The tongue is an unruly evil, not able to be tamed by man (James 3).  However, with God's help we can learn to exercise restraint over our tongues.  Study the Bible more.  What you put in will be what comes out.  (Matt. 15:18)  Busy yourself doing the Lord's work.  Gossip is a habit of idle people.  And pray for the Lord's help in restraining your tongue (Ps. 141:3)