I read a good word today from Pastor Jon Courson on the subject of gossip. Very insightful.
Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbor: I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:16
A talebearer hurts three people: the person he talks about, the person he talks to, and himself.
First, in a very real sense, people are who we say they are, regardless of
whether what we say is true. People will either be lifted up or put down in
the estimation of others by what we say about them. Jesus draws a direct
parallel between murder and the tongue because we have the power to kill
another person’s reputation with our words (Matthew 5:21-22).
Second, telling tales, or gossiping, hurts the person who listens because it affects
the way he or she will view the person being talked about.
Finally, gossip hurts the talebearer himself because every time we gossip, we become smaller
and smaller. As has been wisely said, great minds talk about ideas or
ideals; good minds about events; small minds about people. In which company
are you?
simpletruthswithpastorrob 