Your Daily Slice

Av 3

Gossip

“They visit me as if they were my friends, but all the while they gather GOSSIP, and when they leave, they spread it everywhere.”  (Ps 41:6 NLT, emphasis mine)

Some years ago, my husband and I found ourselves involved in a situation that we had no desire to be a part of, a situation that did irreparable harm to a couple that were, at that time, close friends of ours.  It was a situation all caused by ‘gossip’, and fueled by the leader of a local congregation.  Folks, this is a situation that ought never to be.

How many of us – in all honesty – have started a conversation with the words, “Have you talked to (or seen) so-and-so lately?”  Or what about, “Have you heard what’s happened to ‘what’s his name’?”  Brothers and sisters, beware of people trying to ‘pump’ you for information.  Our kadosh, holy and set-apart Father, knows whom He can trust with what He chooses to reveal, and He knows who will go straight into prayer with what He reveals to them.  If we, as children of Elohei Mikkarov, (the God who is near), cannot be faithful with the secrets of our brothers and sisters, how dare we think that Elohim will take and reveal His hidden secrets to those who are nothing but talebearers and slanderers?

What many do not realize is that gossip is a form of pride, and operates out of a critical spirit – a side show of the yetzer hara, our evil inclination.  When it comes from the pulpit, it is ‘doubly’ damned, because it is setting an example for the congregation that is not according to Torah.   We are all called to be living epistles, read by all men (2Cor 3:2-3), we are all called to love our neighbor as ourselves (Lev 19:18), and there is nothing that will destroy our witness and testimony for the Master faster that ugly gossip.

If you are asked, in confidence, to pray – then pray.  We have to prove ourselves faithful in the little, before more will be added (see Mat 25:14-23; Luke 19:12-19).  Are you aware of a congregation that appears stagnant, that does not seem to grow?  Look and see if perhaps gossip is a problem in that assembly.  This principal can also apply to our personal lives as well; if we would be honest and open with ourselves, can we say that we are maturing as our Creator would have us to do?  Perhaps it is time to pray more and ‘talk about it’ (gossip) less.

“If there's no wood, the fire goes out; if nobody gossips, contention stops.”  (Pro 26:20 CJB)

“יהוה, who does sojourn in Your Tent? Who does dwell in Your set-apart mountain? … He has NOT SLANDERED with his tongue, He has not done evil to his neighbour, Nor LIFTED UP A REPROACH against his friend ...” (Ps 15:1-3 ISR, emphasis mine)

“What you don’t see with your eyes, don’t invent with your mouth.” (Old Yiddish Proverb)

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