David Brownfield | IM Staff Contributing Writer
Gossip is a dark, venomous, tar-like oil that and bubbles up from a wicked, deceitful heart. It oozes out and drools from the lips of its host carrier, with enticing sparks like fireworks to captivate the listener. A slobbering disease that is highly contagious, gossip reeks of putrid, dead flesh and quickly infects those who are exposed to it. As any forbidden fruit, this poisonous substance is also powerfully addictive and when it is indulged in, it brings an uncontrollable craving for more.
This evil greasy sin of gossip has a shiny life-like appearance with sparks that ignite on contact with the listening ear of its victim, sending sinful seeds like incendiary projectiles of destruction directly to the heart of its newly infected carrier. Once taking root in the infected host, gossip becomes magnified and transformed into a mutated strain of false testimony that is even more irresistibly powerful and destructive. Slander is born, crossbred with appealing lies that form within the carnal reasoning and vain imaginings of our human nature.
Gossip is attractive to an open, curious, idle mind that is unprotected against this type of darkness. It appears informative, shiny and safe but it reflects light instead of absorbing it. Once two or more hosts agree by spreading of this disease, it becomes a wildfire that can infect a multitude.
Nations have fallen because of gossip. Churches, marriages, families, businesses, governments and entire cultures are terrorized by its fault finding, back stabbing sickness. Eventually, gossip, slander, defamation and exaggerated false witness bring a holocaust of pandemic proportion, leading to mass destruction and darkness.
The Bible says that gossip is the same as murder. This means that gossip is the opposite of the Gospel, which brings life. Gospel is light, gossip is darkness. Gossip is born of flesh; the Gospel is born of the Spirit of God. Gossip is a trash can full of empty, temporary lies that are soon forgotten, yet damage remains. The Gospel is eternal truth, leading us to eternal life with peace hereafter.
When exposed to the spiritual pestilence of gossip we must use the Faith inoculum as our Lord Jesus would. Recognize that there is an evil spirit behind gossip and address it, not the carrier. Mark 8:33, Matthew 16:23, are great examples of the words of Jesus addressing human reasoning. James 4:7 is also a great and wise way to deal with this. Here are seven more scriptures of Truth on this vital subject for today’s world: Proverbs 11:13; 16:28; 18:8; 20:19; 26:20; 2nd Corinthians 12;20
What to do:
Make a list of those you gossiped about in the last 30-days, or more.
Bring this list before the Lord, and repent.
Seek the forgiveness from those individuals.
Commit to them you will refrain from this greasy sin.
Work to restore the relationship of each.
Repeat this list as often as necessary.
Gossip is the sin that Satan uses to destroy the Body of Christ. When trust is broken within the Body of Christ, isolation is quick to rule. If isolation settles into the Body of Christ, the Gospel suffers impotence in the world over. -Dr. Stephen Phinney
Comments