05/29/2024
Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander. Proverbs 17:4
I have heard on television shows, in movies, and in many social circles how everyone wants to spread the "Hot Goss" like it's cool like to do. People slander others and make fun of others behind their back just to be in a crowd or a clique. The bible is very clear about how we should conduct ourselves when it comes to others.
I don't know what the motivation is to listening to it or spreading it, but it hurts others and the bible has many scriptures on the subject calling it many things such as malicious, evil, wrong, something God Haters do, arrogant, and so much more.
Gossip to me has always been a pet peeve and when others start to spread gossip, or try to talk to me about someone else's business, I get very upset. The "Hot Goss" has caused others who are recipients of the gossip to hurt themselves, be depressed, worry, and many negative outcomes arise from it being spread.
When you gossip, the bible says you are untrustworthy, and that men should turn away from you. Thank God for repentance through Christ.
The bible says we can stop these things and make it right with God if we ask for forgiveness. You should also ask the person for forgiveness because that's important too. It ruins lives and makes it hard for them to navigate life due to the emotional toll it takes on them. When you gossip you are spreading hate, but when you keep someone's confidence you are choosing love. Today I choose love, won't you join me?
Proverbs 17: 9 - Whoever would foster love covers over an offense, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.
So how should we conduct ourselves professionally and personally from a biblical standpoint? Here's what the bible says:
John 13:34-35: A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another
1 Peter 4:8: Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
Proverbs 20:19 - “…do not associate with a gossip.”
Romans 1: 29-31 : They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful. They invent new forms of evil; they disobey their parents. They are senseless, faithless, heartless, merciless.
2 Corinthians 12:20 - For I am afraid that perhaps when I come I may find you to be not what I wish, and may be found by you to be not what you wish; that perhaps there will be strife, jealousy, angry tempers, selfishness, slanders, gossip, arrogance, disturbances;
1 Timothy 5:13 - And besides they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.
Proverbs 26:20 - Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
Proverbs 11:13- He who goes about as a gossip reveals secrets, But he who is trustworthy and faithful keeps a matter hidden.
Proverbs 20:19 - He that reveals a secret is a slanderer, and he that is faithful in his spirit hides a matter; and do not associate with one whose lips are hasty.
Proverbs 16: 28 - A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.
Proverbs 16: 22 -24 -A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being. Like glaze covering an earthen vessel are burning lips and a wicked heart. A hateful man disguises himself with his speech, but he lays up deceit in his heart.
Proverbs 18:8 - A gossip’s words are like choice food that goes down to one’s innermost being.
1 Timothy 3: 10 - 12 -Additionally, they must first be tested. Then, if they are above reproach, let them serve as deacons. In the same way, the women must be dignified, not slanderers, but temperate and faithful in all things. A deacon must be the husband of but one wife, a good manager of his children and of his own household. (it does not mean a man can be a gossip and a woman cannot, it means neither of them can if he is married).
Titus 2: 9- Tell the older women to behave as those who love the Lord should. They must not gossip about others or be slaves of wine. They must teach what is proper.
Psalm 69:12 - Those who sit in the gate gossip about me; drunkards make me the butt of songs.
Leviticus 19:16 - Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.
Psalm 41:6 - Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the LORD.
Proverbs 29: 23 - [As] the north wind brings rain, so a whispering tongue brings angry looks.
2 Timothy 3: 2-4 - But understand this: In the last days terrible times will come. For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, without love of good, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Turn away from such as these!
Jeremiah 20: 10 - For I have heard the defaming of many, terror on every side. Denounce, and we will denounce him, say all my familiar friends, they that watch for my halting; peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.
Ezekiel 23:10 - They stripped her naked, took away her sons and daughters, and killed her with a sword. Women gossiped about how she was punished.
3 John 1:10 - For this reason, if I come, I will bring to remembrance his deeds which he does, unjustly disparaging us with wicked words. And not satisfied with this, he himself does not welcome the brothers either, and he forbids those who want to do so and puts them out of the church.
Psalm 31:13 - For I hear the whispering of many— terror on every side!— as they scheme together against me, as they plot to take my life
Proverbs 25: 9-11 - Argue your case with your neighbor without betraying another’s confidence, lest the one who hears may disgrace you, and your infamy never go away. A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
https://youtu.be/Gwv0re0UCUw?si=dJNQbwbEU8LZ3zN0
