2002-03-16 - Gossip

Gossip is ugly. There is no nice way around it. People get hurt, friendships are destroyed and often the wounded are left bleeding. I recently had an experience that left me hurt and angry. Someone said something about myself and one of our children that was not true and then proceeded to "share" that information with others. I struggled with my feelings. One thing I have been very "good" at in the past is to verbally -- either through "dissection" or sarcasm -- "whip someone right into their place." It is something I have had to seek forgiveness for and ask the Lord to heal me of. The temptation was to "set this person straight," to hurt them like they had hurt me. Instead, God reminded me of the potential damage I could do, and how Satan would then have a foothold in my life. I had choices to make. He reminded me of how a few months ago, I spent alot of time reading the book of James.

James (1:13-15) Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man. But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin. And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

James (1:19) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath. For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.

James (1:26) If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

James (3:5-18) Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity:. So is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature, and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind. But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? Either a vine, figs? So can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? Let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

"And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace."

That is what I want to do, sow peace. As I thought about how hurt I was, God continued to show me how important it is to watch what words proceed out of my own mouth. He has continued, through His Spirit, to "check" me when I speak, making me more aware of His mercy and grace in my own life.

Often I tell our kids that what they put into their minds is what will come out. It is my prayer that we would all be filled with the Holy Spirit and be made clean by the washing of the Word, so that out of our mouths would proceed "words of life".

Psalm 122:6

In His Service,
Rick & Sandy

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