gossip

talking behind another person's back, degrading him, passing rumors whether true or false, and /or destroying the reputation of another person.

Other words the Bible uses for the same is “talebearer” (Prov. 11:13; Prov. 20:19), “talkers” (Ezek. 36:3), and “whisperers” (Rom. 1:29 and 2Cor. 12:20).

Many people think that gossip consists of spreading false rumors about someone, but this is not true at all. Gossip consists of saying anything that could harm that person, whether it be true or false.

It should be our desire to bless others. How do we desire to be treated? How would we like others to talk about us? This definitely ties to the Golden Rule which says do unto others as you would have them do unto you. (Matthew 7:12)

We are not to participate in spreading tales about other people. The Bible says we are to squelch it by not passing it along. If we participate, we only aid Satan in what he wants to do to destroy the lives of others. This is clear in the following verse:

Do not pass along false reports. Do not cooperate with evil people by telling lies on the witness stand. (Exodus 23:1)

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."
-Proverbs 18:21

The tongue is a small member of the human body, yet it is powerful! Speech that proceeds from the mouth can bring forth a blessing or a curse.

Little do many realize that words spoken from our mouth are bound to come back to us like a boomerang. This is stated in the verse above. We sow and we reap. We will eat the harvest of the words we sow to others.

God strictly forbids us to use our tongue as a weapon of evil against another person. One of the most popular methods of this is gossip. Speaking falsehoods or harmful things against a person cuts to the very heart, soul and spirit.

"The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly."

It is also stated in the Bible that the tongue is as the poison of snakes, and is full of bitterness and cursing. (Romans 3:13-17) In Psalms 52:2, we read that "the tongue is like a sharp razor'.

God's Word also says it is akin to evil (Luke 6:45) and lying . Lying because untruths are spoken and evil because it is the intentional harming of another person.

Our behavior can provoke others to dislike or hate another person without just reason. God's Word teaches firstly that we are to love others. God also said to hate another person in our heart is like murder. Both seek to destroy or are destructive.

When we engage in the sin of gossip , we actually invite others to participate in this behavior. By these actions, we encourage them to be talebearers, bearing false witness against others.

Gossip is like a circle that continues with no end. One could even say it is like a snowball rolling down a hill , which increases in size, collecting more dirt as it proceeds to its final resting place.

The words we do choose to speak should be of godly character, reflecting His nature on the inside of us.

What is the world actually seeing through our own personal behavior. Can they see Jesus Christ through us and in our life?

Will we represent Him well. Or will we seem to be no different than the world itself? Our mission in this world is to bring people to the knowledge of Who Christ is through our life and through our service. Our live should draw others to a noticeable fact that something within us is different. And that is Christ Himself.

The book of Philippians tells us that our conversation should represent the gospel well.

Apostle Paul said this in Romans 13:8-10
"Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."

If the love of Christ is truly within us, we as believers will not want to harm another person in any fashion.

Jesus said we will give an account for every idle word we speak. Our own words will either justify us or condemn us.

We can obtain help through the power of the Holy Spirit to conquer this problem and change.

"If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."1 John1:8-9

Pray this prayer with me.

Lord,
I come before You asking You to cleanse me of all sin in my life. Lord, I know You are interested in all areas of my life. So I ask You to guide me, take control of my personal life , especially the area of my speech and let my lips only glorify You in what I speak . Lord, through the power of Your Holy Spirit, keep my from speaking ill words of gossip and let me not sin with my mouth.

In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen.