The Disease of Gossip
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.”1
In 1520, one person stepped off a Spanish ship in Mexico and caused the deaths of thousands of people. The man was a soldier under the leadership of Pánfilo de Narváez, and he had smallpox. The soldier didn't know it, but wherever he went he exposed the citizens to a new disease. As a result of the ensuing smallpox epidemic, many thousands of Mexican citizens died.
One man. That's all it took. His contact with the unsuspecting Mexican people led to a horrible, painful scourge. The devastating effects of that disease traveled from one person to another, infecting a large segment of the population.2
This illustration reminded me of how similar the spread of a deadly disease is to spiritual sickness. Over the years I have seen the sin of gossip infiltrate “healthy” churches and cause more damage and division that I could have imagined. All it takes is one person to introduce gossip before it starts spreading like wildfire. There is a small poem by an unknown author that says:
A careless word may kindle strife,
A cruel word may wreck a life;
A timely word may lessen stress,
A loving word may heal and bless.
Our goal, as Christians, should always be to encourage and build others up with our words. The moment our words start tearing others down, causing division, or speaking lies, we grieve the Holy Spirit of God and hinder our spiritual growth and also become an obstacle for the growth of others. Let us choose our words wisely and honor God with all we do and say.
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, please keep me from the sin of gossip, and help me always speak truth. Give me wisdom and discernment to know when the conversations around me are only meant to cause strife and give me courage to speak the truth in love. I want to honor you with all that I am. Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer. In Jesus’ name, amen.
1. Ephesians 4:29-30 (NIV).
Today’s Encounter was written by: Crystal B.
All articles on this website are written by
Richard (Dick) Innes unless otherwise stated.