"If you haven't got anything nice to say about anybody, come sit next to me."
~Alice Roosevelt Longworth
"The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body."
they go down into the inner parts of the body."
Proverbs 18:8 ESV
Gossip is sometimes described as America’s pastime. Looking at the number of celebrity gossip shows and magazines, I am inclined to agree.
Why do we like to gossip?
Sometimes gossip has a positive motive:
- I an interested in people. I want to know what is happening in their lives.
But usually gossip has negative motives.
- Spreading news about someone else makes me feel important. I know something you don’t.
- Finding out something sordid or embarrassing about someone else can make me feel superior to them.
The dictionary defines gossip as, “to spread rumors or tell people the personal details of others' lives, especially maliciously.” Our motives in sharing details about our friends are usually not very pure. And the results are usually not positive either! Friends are hurt, relationships are damaged, our reputations for trustworthiness are sullied.
In the end, gossiping doesn’t benefit anyone. Look at Proverbs 18:8 in the paraphrase of The Message:
“Listening to gossip is like eating cheap candy;
do you really want junk like that in your belly?”
do you really want junk like that in your belly?”
Today make it your goal not to listen to or share any gossip.
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