Resisting Gossip

To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1:27-29‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The primary way people encounter Jesus now is through you

The wonder is that Jesus gave us power in one another lives to influence one another

It’s a good fight because God invited us to be part of His mission of helping people know that they are designed by God for a purpose and we have the opportunity to express that through words

If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. 1 Peter 4

The tongue has the power of life and death. Proverbs 18

Gossip is bearing bad news behind someone’s back out of a bad heart.

3 Types of Bad News:

• Lies (slander): when a story is told that is not true, if you have been a victim of slander you know how painful that is

• Shameful truth: news about something bad someone has done and its true

• Projection: when you project that something bad is going to happen to someone before it happens

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. Proverbs 18:8 ESV

Before you talk about someone that is not around, ask yourself a few questions:

Would you say this if they were here?

Would I receive this bad news about her the same way if she were present?

Am I hiding this conversation from someone?

Would I want someone else to talk this way about me if I were out of the room?

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:25-26

If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, “Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” John 7:37-39