What is Gossip?
A gossiper is a person who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who have no business knowing it.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 26:20:
“Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.”
Whenever we are tempted to gossip or entertain gossip from someone else, we must be cautious. We must have conversations that are productive and helpful, not divisive and judgmental.
Someone shared a story with me about another person who called him and wanted to know the details about another person’s marital issues. He said, “You called the wrong person. I’m not going to talk about it.”
Although it’s important to help people who reach out to us, we must be careful of repeating things to others, especially if it has nothing to do with them. If you request prayer for someone, be careful of the words you say because what you share may not be permissive. It’s best to be short as possible.
Additionally, be careful of oversharing with too many people. Although you need transparency and authenticity in your relationships, you must understand that a public platform is not the place to do that. Information can be twisted, and unfortunately, some may leverage that information for their selfish desires.
Father, I pray all of us will use wisdom in our relationships and guard against gossip that is unproductive. Help us Lord to respect the privacy of others and be courteous in our dealings. Help us to pray for them. If we have an ought against anyone, help us go to the source instead of everyone else. In Jesus name, Amen.