Psa 19:14: Notice that God links the words of our mouth and
the meditations of our heart.
Gossip defined: Idle or malicious talk about someone with a
desire or intention to injure him or her in some fashion.
God places gossip in the most complete list of sins in the
Bible and shows how it is interrelated with all these sins: (a) Rom 1:28-31: No
wonder God hates it; (b) 2Ti 3:1-3 (slanderous); (c) Exo 20:12-16 (false
testimony); (d) Pro 6:16-19 (false witness, dissension).
The issue for the believer is that gossip does not fit who we
are. The idea that a person could be praying and talking to God, while at the
same time destroying someone with gossip simply doesn't work.
Why do people engage in gossip?
Consequences in the life of the person who is the object of
- It is a means by which they can express their anger or their
bitterness toward someone without confronting them.
- People gossip to pull
others down to their level... or
- To destroy someone else.
- Or perhaps
simply because they have a careless tongue.
- It is the influence of other
Some say they have the right to speak the truth. You may have
a legal right to speak the truth, but you don't have a Biblical right to say
everything you know.
Consequences for the one who gossips:
Little minds discuss people.
- Mat 12:33,34.
- Gossip defiles the one who practices
- It reveals his/her lack of
- It shows he/she is ruled by
- It drives godly people away from
- It destroys his/her fellowship with
Average minds discuss events.
Great minds discuss ideas.
How to cure gossip:
- Pro 20:19.
- Do not
associate with a gossip.
- It grieves the Holy Spirit when a person
gossiper may need to make restitution, but you must be careful because that can
sometimes only increase the problem.
associate with gossips.
- Pray for the