#1 reason…It hurts God’s heart.
I know I need to elaborate, because if hurting God was enough for us not to sin, we would be convinced and not do it.
TT ain’t neva had a child, but I have given birth and killed with my words.
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. Proverbs 18:21
Gossip divides, defiles and destroys. That’s not Jesus. That’s the enemy.
Here are some verses in the Bible to meditate on:
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Proverbs 10:19
TT wants to be smart and keep a lid on it.
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. Ephesians 4:29
TT wants to build up, not tear down.
A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28
TT can tell when someone has gossiped about me. They look at me different. I can see it in a friend’s eyes. Defilement has entered our friendship.
Cultures of gossip are our own fault.
But, TT, I don’t gossip!
But do you listen to it?
Do you shut it down?
Are you blind to what gossip is?
Lemme give you some examples that you could give yourself a litmus test for if your words build up.
1. Would you say it if the person was sitting there?
2. Does it help the person, who is hearing, to see the person you are talking about better?
On a much smaller level, what happens in TT when someone gossips to her?
1. I know I’m next. If that person will talk about Susie, they gone talk bout chu too.
2. I see the person who gossip’s insecurity and not so much what they are saying about the other.
3. I am defiled. It’s dirty. Now, I heard something about someone else that I probs hadn’t even thought of….so though that person was bitter who talked about Susie, now, the next time I see Susie, I have an idea in my head. My vision is skewed.
We could all use some coal to our lips.
Have you read in Isaiah 6?
Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the LORD of Heaven’s Armies.”
Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal he had taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. He touched my lips with it and said, “See, this coal has touched your lips. Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven.”
I love how, when we see God, as He is…we see who we are, and how filthy we are.
We are all guilty.
But it’s not too late. We can change.
We get what we tolerate.
What if we made cultures that are gossip free zones?
Where, if anyone gossiped to you, you stopped them dead in their dead tracks.
We should fear striking the temple with our words. Listen to Chan speak about this.
I know, since I have voiced this before on posts, people have stopped gossiping…for the most part….to me about others. I think they know I don’t tolerate it. And I will end up saying “Have you told _____ about this?”
But I could be better at holding back the sledgehammer on another brother and sister in Christ.
Help us Jesus.
