THOU CHRISTIAN, WHY GOSSIPING?
Nkem whispered into Anne’s ears, “that lady’s dress looks very horrible” as Buchi, the lady she referred to walked down the hallway of the supermarket they were chatting inside. Little did she know that Buchi was locked out of her apartment the previous night by her landlord who was angry as a result of her unpaid rent and it was the supermarket security who allowed her to pass the night over at his security post.
John, the biggest boy in town happened to be washing a ton of plates as a result of his inability to ‘settle’ his food and drink bills. This was simply because he forgot his ATM card at home and did not even realize that he did before leaving his house early that morning. This got all his friends who usually dine with him at the restaurant at his own expense, gossiping all through the week at that single act. John became depressed later on about the whole experience and decided to stay away from everyone else except his family.
Kelechi, on the other hand, just lost his mum to the cold hands of death. This made him very depressed and lonely that he could not leave his house much and wanted some alone moments without any sort of interference. His two closest friends who he usually hangs out with, instead of giving him the space he required made it a ‘point of duty’ to gossip about his ‘loner attitude’ and went ahead to abandon him totally. Two years later, Kelechi bounced back and decided to advance his life and became a very successful philanthropist on the long run.
Bernice, a single moth just went through a very traumatic divorce and ended up with NO inheritance from the marriage than her children. She worked her way up to the highest position in a multinational organization and was able to take proper care of her children and grant them the best that a complete family unit could possibly afford. She was a very committed usher in her church and after service EVERY Sunday, her fellow service unit members always came together to gossip about her. Little did they know the pain she was passing through even as a SINGLE mother.
The above and many more are clear-cut examples of scenarios where ‘gossip’ is literally ‘embraced’ and ‘idolized’.
The question we then ask is ‘What really is Gossip?’
How can it be appropriately ‘defined’ by scriptures?
Biblically, ‘gossip’ simply means ‘sharing information that ought NOT TO BE shared. It may or may not be true. It involves slandering a person in their ‘absence or divulging personal information’ shared by someone to you.
Below are scriptures that would enable you to have a better understanding about God’s view on ‘gossip’.
2 Corinthians 12:20
20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder
Ephesians 4 : 29
29 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.
Exodus 23:1
23 “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.
The truth is ‘in one way, or another, we have all been involved in gossip somehow.
However, let us view this article as a platform to correct our thoughts, words and actions in general towards others. Also, avoid those who ‘gossip’ a lot. Trust me, it would help you as a ‘growing’ Christian.
Hope this blesses us wholly.
Watch out for more insightful and inspirational Christian articles.
