And with this disclaimer, I will say that at one time I was so guilty until the contents of this post would have went beyond pricking, it would have stabbed! So forgive me if your feelings are hurt or you are provoked to anger, my aim is to cause thought...prayerful thought.
Have you ever walked up on a couple (or a few) of our church sisters engaged in gossip? Or maybe a sister walked up on YOU gossiping? Tale bearing? Being a busybody? That is something we should never do, God abhors it! But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. (1 Peter 4:15) It is so easy to find ourselves engaged in tearing down our sister in Christ. And sometimes we find that all it takes is for one tongue to start wagging and the rest will follow! Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Psalm 34:13
We've all done it, and your are definitely a liar if you say that you've never gossiped or talked about someone. I know I used to do it, and loved it! I am just keeping it real. I couldn't wait until I got together with my natural sisters to pick the bones of my spiritual sisters. I never thought anything anything negative about it, that is, until it happened to me and I then began to realize how very wrong I had been.
Being married to a minister is no joke! As a minister's wife I was subjected to every little cruel joke, every ugly whisper, every demeaning comment and every stream of gossip that could be spewed forward. What was worse, my children, who had done nothing to warrant such harsh words thrown out about them, received the brunt of the tongue wagers as well. See. when you talk about your sister, your words don't only hurt her, but those daggers scatter and pierce the hearts of everyone close to her.You sit and speak against your brother; you slander your own mother's son. (Psalm 50:20)
So when you find ugly things to say about your sister in Christ; is she really your sister? See, my Bible, and I am sure yours as well, tells us that we ought to love one another as Christ loves us. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35. Then tell me; what kind of love causes you to talk about your sister? What kind of love causes you to constantly harp on something that she has done? And it probably wasn't even to you! On top of that, she repented and asked for forgiveness...that should have settled the matter. Period! But what we like to do is keep "stuff" going. Sensationalize it! Make more out of than it really is. Hurt someone else so that we can have something to focus on instead of our own miserable, sorry lives. Yes, I said it...miserable and sorry! And I won't take it back. We gossip, we hurt, we backbite, we show no compassion, we love it when we see someone falling. We kick them instead of picking them up. We spread lies and rumors instead of opening our arms to give comfort. And then we have the nerve to call her a sister! Really?
A tongue that can't be contained is evil and evokes tremendous pain....but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. James 3:8 And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. James 3:6 James warns us on many occasions about the results of the lose tongue. I want to ask you; what pleasure do you get from slandering your sister? What perverse enjoyment do you feel from gossiping? We have all sinned and fallen short as Paul says in Romans 3:23. So where do we have the room to speak evil of someone? Don't you realize that is hate? And you think you are going to enjoy the wonderful joys of heaven with that mouth? I DON'T THINK SO!
Learn to count the cost before you submit to gossip. If you're gossiping about someone, you'd better believe someone is gossiping about you! What's the purpose? What are the benefits? What do you gain? Is she your sister in Christ...really? If you stand before me and tell me how much you love your Christian family and then take off like a bolt of lightning when you discover I am human; so you can gossip to others about my misfortune - I ask, where is the love?
So are you my sister...really?
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