Do Not Pay Attention to Gossip

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Scripture: 7:21-22 (NIV)

21 Do not pay attention to every word people say,

or you may hear your servant cursing you—

22 for you know in your heart

that many times you yourself have cursed others

Devotion:

            Today we read a bit of wisdom from Ecclesiastes. I find this book overall to be full of wisdom and useful instructions. All most people know of Ecclesiastes is the poem in the third chapter. “For everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven…” There is much treasure in this book waiting to be mined by the patient and wise mind.

            Enough for my commercial message on the book. Today’s scripture is so true. Not to listen to gossip is exceptionally good advice. It is, however, so difficult to practice. Satan, the flesh, and the world have conspired to make hearing and repeating gossip seem like a wonderful thing to do. We must resist this temptation.

            It is, as today’s scripture attests, to keep your mouth under control when the gossip is about you. The writer of this scripture knows the basic fact that we have all at one time or another said an unkind word behind someone’s back. Indeed, in our day and age we have more means to spread gossip than ever before. We can tweet, message, text, email, and facetime words that are better off unsaid. In Christian circles I have even heard of spreading gossip via prayer requests.

            The reasons for not spreading gossip are many and we have probably all heard them before. However, they bear repeating one more time. First, gossip may be a total or partial lie. People love to spread stories and sometime exaggerate them for dramatic effect. Next, it is always unkind and unloving to spread stories even if the story is true. Never saying anything behind someone’s back that you would not say to their face is a good rule of thumb to judge whether to repeat a story.

            James 3:2 explains what I am trying to say perfectly “2 For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check” (James 3:2 NRSV). So, if we have made mistakes in the past spreading stories about people you can receive forgiveness. We can all work on our tongues to bring them under control. Let us pray that we may be perfected in our speech.

Prayer:

            Lord, keep a watch on our mouths. Let no gossip or slander pass our lips or our fingertips. Make all our speech build one another up. May all we say or do behind one another’s backs be uplifting and encouraging. Give glory to God with our lips and may cursing any of God’s people be far from our lips. Lord let us encourage one another in this race we call life. Amen

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