May 19 Devotion: Ending Gossip in our Life

ENDING GOSSIP IN OUR LIFE"

29).  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.  30).  And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.  31).  Let all bitterness, and wrath,and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:  32).  And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

                                   EPHESIANS 4:29-32

Spreading rumors about other people exposes little about the true nature of the person being whispered about, but it reveals quite a lot about the speaker’s character. So, what should we do when we’re tempted to gossip?

First, we should confess and ask the Lord to help us to turn away from opportunities to talk about others. See Psalm 141:3: “Set a watch, O Lord, over my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Following this verse, daily, will his will help us remain mindful of our words.

Next, we must be on guard against temptation. Believers have a responsibility to set themselves apart from gossip in order to keep their thoughts and words pleasing to God. Being in the presence of one who spreads stories can tempt us to participate. But in a situation where rumors are being shared, the best course of action is to speak out against what’s being done and refuse to participate.

Finally, instead of talking about someone, it’s wise to pray for him or her. Getting into this habit will help train the mind to replace sinful patterns with God-pleasing ones. The Bible teaches us to encourage and comfort each other, and prayer is a good way to obey that instruction!                           

-IBC