GOSSIP.

Titus 2:3- "Also, teach the older women to live the way those who serve the Lord should live. They should not go around saying bad things about others...."

Yesterday, we learned about being a respectful woman of God. Loving others. Considering others. Seeing others worth- exactly how God sees them. 

Today, is about "not being false accusers/steer clear of gossiping/not saying bad things about others."

Taming the Tongue

James chapter 3 states:

"It is the same with our tongue. It is a small part of the body, but it can boast about doing great things. A big forest fire can be started with only a little flame. The tongue is like a fire. It is a world of evil among the parts of our body. It spreads its evil through our whole body and starts a fire that influences all of life. It gets this fire from hell. Humans have control over every kind of wild animal, bird, reptile, and fish, and they have controlled all these things. But no one can control the tongue. It is wild and evil, full of deadly poison. We use our tongues to praise our Lord and Father, but then we curse people who were created in God’s likeness." (ERV)

We praise God Almighty and the next thing we know, we are cursing and talking bad about people who God Almighty created. 

This truly makes me sick to my stomach.

God, I want to be known as a woman that doesn't say a bad thing about anyone. Help us Jesus. Help us to guard our mouths.

It isn't easy to tame our tongues. They are a wild part of our body. Just think how easy it is to pour out a conversation and sit later with regret. It is so easy. We don't even know how it happens some times. 

Whatever is in Your Heart- The Mouth Speaks

Whenever I find myself praying to Jesus to help me guard my conversations and to tame my tongue-- He reminds me that whatever is in my heart, will come out of my mouth.... and He reminds me I need to continually clean out my heart from all the bad, evil stuff of this world.

In Matthew 15:18, Matthew writes, "But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." What is in our heart? Are we so full of bitterness, jealousy, anger, ego, lust.... that it proceeds out of our mouths?

If we want to speak with kindness- with faith- with love- with patience- with His Word.... we need to pour that in to our heart, so that it can overflow out of our mouths.

What are we feeding our soul today? What conversations are we giving in to?What thoughts are we letting control us? What movies are we watching? What music are we listening to? What are we filling our lives with? Because that will reflect in many areas if we are not careful.


Power of Life and Death in Our Tongues

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof." (Proverbs 18:21- KJV)

We have the power to give life with our words today...

or take it away.

The choice is up to us.

Will we use our words to build others up (even if they are not around)... or will we use our words to tear others down (even if they are not present?)

Because the truth is- even if we are tearing others down in private-- those words are still tearing down our soul. You cannot sit and gossip about others and not feel the effects in your own body. The tongue is like a poison...

Ephesians 4:29 states, "When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say the good things that people need—whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you." 

What are we doing with our words today? 

Keep Me Close To You, God.

Paul writes in 2 Timothy 2:16- "Have no part in foolish talk that does not come from God. That kind of talk will take people farther and farther away from God." 


God longs for us to be like Him-- foolish talk (talking about useless things, pointless discussions, unholy chatter) leads us further away from Him. 

I can think back to many conversations and how I felt after them. Bad. Horrible. Sick to my stomach. A disappointment. That was NOT who God called me to be. Why was it so hard to control my tongue?????

Because I wasn't where I needed to be with Him. I'm still not. I'm a work in progress-- but slowly. I'm trying to get as close to Him as possible so that when others see me, they see Him... when others hear me talk, they hear Him. It's the only way I can truly change my heart-- if I give it all over to Him.

Gossip is No Good.

The CB version of the Bible states, "Gossip is no good! It causes hard feelings and comes between friends." (Proverbs 16:28) The ERV version writes, "Troublemakers are always causing problems. Their gossip breaks up the closest of friends." And ICB states, "An evil person causes trouble. And a person who gossips ruins friendships."

Gossip not only destroys friendships- gossip destroys people's lives.

I heard a quote once that stated, "Gossip dies when it enters the ears of the wise."

Who are we choosing to be today?

Foolish.

or wise?

It is always OUR choice.

We should be making it a habit to turn conversations away from our ears that have anything to do with tearing others down-- anything that has to do with things that are not applicable to our lives-- anything that promotes accusing someone with zero proof or reasoning. It is not our job to judge or define others. It is our job to LOVE unconditionally and remember the lost, broken soul we would be without the mercy of Jesus Christ.

Instead of Gossip- Give Mercy- Give Love

Instead of spreading lies- tearing others down- listening to horrible conversations- speaking false worse- hearing false words- instigating rumors....

GIVE MERCY.
GIVE LOVE.
GIVE LIFE.

The ball is in our court.

Ladies, we have to be mindful of every single conversation we have with others. If someone is consistently tearing others down, we must separate ourselves. If we have the ability to change the conversation, we should do that.

Think about how we feel after conversations that were used to talk about others- do you feel horrible in your soul? Do you feel miserable? Do you feel in a bad mood?

It is because that is not what we were called to do on this life.

We were called to speak conversations that give hope, peace, love, and kindness.

Who are we being today?

"Gossips are worse than thieves because they steal another person's dignity, honor, reputation, and credibility which are impossible to restore. So remember this: when your feet slip, you can always recover your balance. But when your tongue slips, you cannot recover your words."

Jesus, help us to guard our mouths against conversations that are not of You. If we are not speakings words full of the fruit of Your spirit-- words full of love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, faith, humbleness, or self-control, PLEASE help us to stop those conversations, repent, and move forward in You. Help us to not spread rumors about others or feed in to the words spoken from someone else. You were full of life, Jesus. You were full of love and grace and mercy.... Help us to be full of that as well. I want to be like You, Jesus. We plead Your blood over our lives... and we pray for a hedge of protection to be around our words, eyes, ears, and conversations. In Your Holy name, Amen.