Gossip, Lying and Talebearing ~ Triple Sins

“Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases. As charcoal is to burning coals, and wood to fire, So is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles, And they go down into the inmost body. Fervent lips with a wicked heart are like earthenware covered with silver dross…A lying tongue hates those who are crushed by it, And a flattering mouth works ruin.” (Proverbs 26:20-23; 28. NKJV).

The New International Version renders “talebearer” as “gossip.” And how most of us are afflicted with the sin of gossip! Wise Solomon knew that it was a blight upon relationships. He expounded its maliciousness in several sentences, using strong metaphors to emphasize the ulterior effects of gossip, lying and talebearing. Just as a fire requires wood or coal to keep it burning, so gossip, once started, takes repetition by others to keep it alive and harmful. Knowing this, why, then, are we so prone to practice the sins of gossip, lying and talebearing?

Someone might say, “It’s good pastime!” Is defaming another’s character a way to find pleasure? We should think before we repeat. How then should we treat gossip? We are not to give it credence by responding to it. We are not to be entertained by it, or to pass it on. We should examine the “tales” we hear about others, and think before we believe and pass along what can be harmful.

Juicy language can deceive. We should be alert to tales that can be detrimental to the persons they are about and even to the bearer of tales, for our own credibility and truthfulness are at stake. Charming lies can ruin the speaker and other people. We need to guard our lips, for out of them can come both good and evil. In Flying Closer to the Flame, Charles Swindoll states: “Were it not for the presence of God’s Spirit, our wickedness would know no bounds…Now that we have our Lord’s divine dynamic presence perpetually living within us, we can live above all that…By turning the controls of our life over to Him who lives within, we begin to model the life Christ modeled when He lived and walked on earth.” And this can apply to avoiding the pitfalls of gossip, lying and talebearing. “Put the brakes on gossip this week. Squash it like an intruding spider” (Max Lucado, in Experiencing the Heart of Jesus).

c Ethelene Dyer Jones; Wednesday, July 28, 2010