‘Keep your tongue from evil…’ Psalms 34:13 NIV
You know the feeling. You're walking along, not quite paying attention, and your foot goes straight into a little pile that some prized poodle's owner failed to clean up. Walk that through a door, and your housemates will let you know about it. Yet, it’s so much harder to notice when we bring gossip into the house.
Think about the mess you’re likely to make. Ask yourself, ‘Who’s going to benefit from me saying this stuff?’ ‘Who are you going to hurt? ‘Whose confidence are you betraying?’ If it has the potential to cause a stink, leave it outside. Don’t drag potentially hurtful half-truth into your house. Clean your shoes, and conscience, at the door. James 1:26 seems to imply that ‘gossip’ is a stain on your spiritual life, ‘If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless’ (NIV). Solomon warns that we will eat the effects of our unwise words: ‘The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit’ (Proverbs 18:21 NIV). And just in case we need it spelt out further, 1 Peter 3:10 tells us, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil’ (NIV).
You know the feeling. You're walking along, not quite paying attention, and your foot goes straight into a little pile that some prized poodle's owner failed to clean up. Walk that through a door, and your housemates will let you know about it. Yet, it’s so much harder to notice when we bring gossip into the house.
Think about the mess you’re likely to make. Ask yourself, ‘Who’s going to benefit from me saying this stuff?’ ‘Who are you going to hurt? ‘Whose confidence are you betraying?’ If it has the potential to cause a stink, leave it outside. Don’t drag potentially hurtful half-truth into your house. Clean your shoes, and conscience, at the door. James 1:26 seems to imply that ‘gossip’ is a stain on your spiritual life, ‘If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless’ (NIV). Solomon warns that we will eat the effects of our unwise words: ‘The tongue has the power of life and death and those who love it will eat its fruit’ (Proverbs 18:21 NIV). And just in case we need it spelt out further, 1 Peter 3:10 tells us, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil’ (NIV).
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