KNOCKING OUT Gossip!

Proverbs 11:13 "Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets, but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered." 


Who doesn't like some juicy gossip from time to time right?  Wrong!  Gossip is defined as idle, trivial or chatty talk or rumor especially about a persons private life.  A gossip is one who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors or facts. All of us have gossiped or do gossip from time to time...then, we get the infamous check from the Spirit of God saying " You shouldn't have said that...or shared that!" Right? If we would only resist the temptation to gossip and instead listen to the gentle loving prick from the Spirit of God then everything would be just fine!  If gossip is not nipped quickly it can turn into slander.  Slander takes gossip a step further and speaks things that are not true, with the intent to damage the reputation of another.  Slander takes what you see and hear and makes up false accusations without knowing the truth.  Both are a sin...in fact, they are one of the 7 sins that God lists in Proverbs 6:16-19 as the sins that God hates. To hate means, to loathe,despise or detest. God hates a false witness who spreads lies. He also hates a person who stirs up conflict in the community. Yikes!  If God hates it...we should stay as far away from "IT" as possible...right? 

SO...why is it so hard for us to resist spreading news whether it be true or false? Why do we (women)  tend to be the ones to gossip and slander? Don't we have anything better to talk about? I'm not sure why we do...apart from lack of self-control...but, here are a few tips that I've found helpful in knocking out gossip...

-Do not associate yourself with one who is a known gossip.

-When someone starts to gossip — change the subject, or better yet...stop and pray for the one being gossiped about!

-If you are not part of the problem or part of the solution, stay out of it!

-If you have fallen into the bad habit of gossiping — ask God to change your heart

-When you have been the victim of gossip — confront the parties in love that spread the rumor.

When you choose not to gossip and talk about others you have clear communion with God…for gossip and slander are sins which breaks fellowship with God. We all need to steer clear from gossip like a plague…We need to think before we speak…think before we share! We need to ask ourselves; "How would this person feel if they were standing right here?” Would they be hurt? Even if what you are sharing is true…be careful how and with whom you share.

I like what Billy Graham said;  " A real Christian is a person who can give his pet parrot to the town gossip." 

If we want to be "real" Christians then we are to steer clear of any gossip...for if we don't gossip it can't be repeated! Let's seek to be pure untainted by the lies that gossip can breed. Let's not fuel the flames of gossip by not stoking the fire, but instead be pure in heart. Jesus said in Matthew 5:8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God" Do you want to see God? Then keep your heart pure! 

Don't Be A Sitting Duck!

"He took them with Him and they withdrew by themselves." Luke 9:10

Time alone daily with the Lord is vital to our spiritual growth. It's been said that one quiet hour of prayer will often yield greater results than many days spent in the company of others. So, why do we skip our alone time? Why to we get busy or become distracted with our duties and skimp on our devotions? Well… simply because it yields so much fruit that the enemy will stop at nothing to detour us. 

Spending time alone daily with the Lord is also a discipline. It should be a habit that we form and don't ever veer from. It should be like brushing our teeth…we never leave home without doing it!  If Jesus felt it necessary to teach His disciples to withdraw for time then we should find it necessary. Even Jesus spent time alone with the Father. Spending time alone with the Lord each day brings much needed strength. It also brings clarity and perspective throughout our day. As we seek the Lord in the Word and prayer we are filled afresh with His Spirit that we may go about our day in the Spirit and not in our flesh. We also are not as easily overwhelmed through our day if we first spend time with the Lord. We are more patient with our children, our husbands, and others. We are more loving, kind and sensitive to the leading of the Spirit. We also have some new manna to give out to someone we may need to encourage during the day at the grocery store, on the phone or at work. The benefits are unending. 
It's in our times of devotions that we are built up and ready for the battle that we may unexpectedly have to face during the day. It's were we suit up for battle…put on our running shoes… get our boxing gloves on…and sharpen our sword! Without this sort of daily preparation we are left unprotected, untrained and uneducated. We are sitting ducks! All the enemy needs is a little foot hold and he's in. He doesn't need a lot of room…just a little, and he can move freely without our knowledge seeking to zero in on his target and take us down. 
One pastor said;  “We can be tired, weary and emotionally distraught, but after spending time alone with God, we find that He injects into our bodied energy, power and strength.” David describes this sort of emotion in Psalm 73 saying in verse 2; "My foot nearly slipped, I was envious and arrogant." And in verse 16; "When I thought how to understand this, it seemed to me a wearisome task..." But everything changed for David in the next verse..."until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I discerned their end." David was beside himself with how to deal with his enemy. He was tired and weary and frustrated...and yet, when he went in to the Lord...everything changed. His focus switched from himself to His God. He gained discernment into his situation and was given immediate perspective. He saw their end and recognized God's hand of protection upon him. David went from agony to glory in seconds. This is what time alone with God can do. We must guard it...protect it...and fight for it! We must run to our sanctuary and allow God to speak to us, strengthen us and comfort us. He is a very present help in time of need. Go into your sanctuary today and let the Lord strengthen your weary soul. Let Him lift your burden and make it light. Let Him hold your hand and lead you the way you should go. Let Him comfort your hurting heart. He is waiting for you today...beckoning you...Come!