A Word About Gossip!
“You will never believe what I’ve Heard!! “Do you want to know the latest?” “I am telling you this so you can pray!”
So often we hear these words even from fellow Christians. Some believe that they tell these “Secrets” in order that other Christians may be able to pray more specifically and with a laser like precision. These “Secret telling” Christians tend to sell God short as if, in order to Pray Specifically, God needs us to tell HIM everything!
We do not need to be “In the Know” to be able to Pray.
Romans 8:26-27 says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.”
Everyone has experienced the harm of gossip before. Whether the people talking didn’t mean direct harm, the result of gossip is always broken trust and hurt feelings. Gossip can be defined as information about the behavior or personal life of other people, often without the full truth revealed or known. God’s Word warns us to stay away from people who gossip and to guard our words when we speak about others!
The Bible speaks about Gossip with some very intense words. Scripture also uses the word slander which means making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation. The tongue is the most powerful muscle in the Human body and it has been known to destroy marriages, jobs, wealth, and families.
We must be careful how we exercise this powerful muscle. We must be careful how we use our words. The Bible tells us what words we should speak and which we should not.
Proverbs 18:21 “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”
James 1:26 “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
So, if we do need to pray, let us pray first the words of Psalm 141:3
“Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.” AMEN
