something I absolutely despise is gossip

I’ve written about this before, and it’s been on my heart again. Gossip is so normalized in our society… for example, something happens with a friend or acquaintance, and we are so quick to tell OUR version of events without thinking we could have things wrong for a second. We love to go to others about situations to get people on our side, rather than going to the person the problem is about…

I’m no saint, as I’ve said before. I’ve taken part in this same gossip train. What’s different now is that I understand the damage it can do to someone if one or two facts are exaggerated. I’m sure you’re confused about how I can change my heart so fast, and my only answer is God! Once I chose to live my life fully for the Lord, gossip was a thing of the past. I no longer desired to tell my version of events and no longer wanted to correct those who told my story incorrectly. It doesn't matter to me how wrong they are because that's a fire I will no longer fuel.

See, while on my journey to better my relationship with Christ, I had a heart change. The worldly things that used to entertain me no longer do. Now, I can feel and care for those in the situations rather than hopping on the “hate train” because of a problem that doesn’t involve me! I work towards an attitude of Christlikeness and love rather than hate! I live by Galatians 5:22-23, aka the fruit of the spirit and every quality Jesus possessed. We have all been in a situation where we've thought, “I know you did something, and I’m gonna tell all my friends that you did so everyone can validate me being mean to you instead of going to you” story. Think about your account. How could you have faced it differently?

Let me tell y'all a story about Gossip the Bible tells us. This story is coming from Numbers 13-14. Moses sent twelve spies out to explore the Promise Land. When these spies returned, ten had negative things to say regarding this land and their difficulties. This gossip caused fear and rebellion to break out throughout the Israelites. This is the cause of forty years of wandering. Think about a time you exaggerated something to go in your favor, but it worsened the situation. This could be a time you negatively spoke of someone, a time you exaggerated situations to make the person sound worse, or you look better, or so many other problems. Think of the results of your actions. How did they affect that person? Did you need to treat that person in that way just because you wanted that validation from others? I guess that it probably caused a lot of untrue things to be spread about that person, and you most likely regret it.

The next time you want to choose gossip think about that person. Think about what one little rumor can do. If that person did you wrong, LOVE THEM. PRAY FOR THEM. GO

TO THEM. Don’t gossip about them! You never know what that person is going through...

"Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it."

James 4:11