October 4, 2007
Proverbial Friendship: Don't GossipPosted by Bryan
Gossip was once accurately described as "halitosis of the mind."
Anyone who would entertain gossip will only enjoy it as long as it is spoken about others. Remember, too, that if a person will gossip about someone else, they will likely gossip about you as well. You just won't likely be present when they spread the stink of ugly talk about you.
If you find yourself in a situation where you have information that may be gossip, writer Alan Redpath encourages you to THINK about what you know about the the other person:
- T-Is it true
- H-Is it helpful
- I-Is it inspiring
- N-Is it necessary
- K-Is it kind
If your information does not pass the "think test," remain silent. Instead, take time to pray for both the object of the information and the deliverer of the information. Oh, and if you ask the person who brings gossip to you if you can quote them directly back to the object of the gossip, it won't be long before gossip stops crossing your path.
A prayer for friendship:
Lord, help me be a friend who never gossips. Rather than suffering from this 'halitosis of the mind,' let the words of my mouth be sweet and edifying, and carry the aroma of your Holy Spirit. Please forgive me of careless speech and protect me from falling into it in the future. Protect my ears from hearing gossip and protect my mind from giving gossip a home. Please bless my friends with the ability to make good decisions and to live in a way that makes a gossip look foolish for telling stories. Amen.