I Really Shouldn't Be Telling You This.....

So I've got this friend. And they've got this problem. They've been talking to me about it, because I'm a pastor. I've got to tell you, you would be shocked to know what is going on with this person. They really have some stuff going on. Man, I really shouldn't tell you this, but I can't keep it to myself. This is some GOOD dirt.

Sound familiar? Know someone who shares stuff with you like this often? Do YOU share stuff like this often? Chances are you or someone you may be friends with is a gossip.

What is gossip? Its idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others. Americans are addicted to it. We have scores of magazines and TV shows about people's lives. For some reason we love to know what horrible things are going on in other people's lives.

I heard someone say one time that someone talking bad to you is like a knife to the chest. Gossipping is like a sniper rifle. You get hurt by it, but you don't know where it came from. The end result is the same. You get hurt by what someone says about you.

Why do people do it? I think its because for some reason it makes them feel powerful. It brings you down to their level. They feel as though if someone else is worse off then them, then they must be doing OK.

But its wrong. Gossip is not good. It helps no one. It builds nothing. It tears down.

You might say that you don't gossip, but did you know that about 99.9% of the time when a gossip gossips to you that they will gossip about you?

I like what the bible says "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs" (Eph 4:29). Its not that hard to do. All you have to do is speak nice about people, and not share things about someone that puts them in less than a positive light.

Be blessed. And keep it to yourself.

pastor matt.