Read through Proverbs in 31 days, Today’s reading is entitled “Gossip Can Destroy A Good Reputation”
Read Proverbs 25 – Have you ever spread gossip about someone to find that it had been grossly exaggerated? It is likely that everyone has participated in the exercise of passing along a “fact” that was whispered into the ear of the first person in line. How accurate was it when revealed by the final person who was told? This experiment is a perfect illustration of the destructive power of gossip. The person who may have overheard the initial gossip likely had it wrong from the beginning. As it is passed from person to person without validation from the original source, the tale morphs and grows just like the size of a fisherman’s catch of the day. What does today’s reading tell us about the effects of “the gossip chain?”
Let’s take a look.
- God conceals things but reveals them to us as we ask in His Will.
- In order to produce good things in your life, God has to remove impure thoughts and desires. You can’t purchase a place with God or bully your way in, accepting for His gentle call is the only way.
- Avoid gossip and keep secrets to yourself, ignoring this advice can cost great friendships.
- Be trustworthy in all that you do, revive the spirit of everyone you encounter. Avoid empty promises at all cost.
- A patient, soft spoken, person can be persuasive enough to impress even princes while being strong enough to accomplish anything.
How often have you wanted something so badly that you prayed every day for it? Was the result that you received whatever it was or that you gave up and blamed God because it didn’t arrive wrapped up nicely? There is a catch to what we determine as the focus of our prayers – is it in God’s Will? Read Daniel 10, verses 12-14 for proof that God immediately hears prayers. Daniel prayed and the angel was immediately dispatched to his aid. The angel was delayed for 21 days until Michael (the Archangel) came to help in a fight against the prince of persia. God heard and responded, yet the evil forces were strong enough to delay His answer. The request was made according to God’s Will and was answered because of persistence. This thought flows well into the next point regarding the removal of impurities to produce good things. Yes, the evil of the world had to be moved out of the way to allow the angel to deliver God’s delayed message.
Gossip, scuttlebutt, rumor mill. Whatever you use to refer to such activity, do you have personal experience where that activity has produced positive results? The rumor mill will have nothing to do with trustworthiness or reviving someone else’s spirit since the general purpose is to tear someone down in order for someone else to feel superior. The advice to keep secrets to yourself is something we should heed every day. When someone confides a secret to you take it seriously. It could be that you are the only one who knows this deep, dark secret. When it eventually gets back to the person, you are the obvious source regardless of how it has morphed and how many sets of ears have heard it. Although it is considered suitable for children, there is a song entitled “Be Careful Little Eyes” which addresses all points of gossip – eyes, ears and mouth. Applying the easy lyrics to your life will help in maintaining friendships and trustworthiness because of a refusal to participate with the local “water cooler crowd.”
