Nations quarrel over pipelines for oil, water and more. The ones who don’t want them, don’t seem to understand that they are compromising the life of the ones who need the service.
On the other hand, we all willingly use gossip pipelines to share untruths and in so doing compromise the life of those we gossip about.
Sometimes gossip is funny. For instance, we had evidence of a bear in our community. It was only his scat but as the days went on, our social media went from…we have bear scat in our community to … someone has bear scat in their back yard to … people have seen footsteps of the bear to… someone told someone who told someone that they had a bear on their doorstep!
But more often the gossip destroys a career, a marriage, a life style or even a life.
“Rumour is a pipe, blown by surmises, jealousies, conjectures and of so easy and so plain a stop that the blunt monster with uncounted heads, the still-discordant wavering multitude, can play upon it.” (William Shakespeare, Henry IV, Part 2)
Shakespeare aside…God says this.
“Don’t spread gossip and rumors. “Don’t just stand by when your neighbor’s life is in danger. I am God. (Leviticus 19:16, MSG)
Prayer- Lord, I personally am ashamed of the times I have taken part in gossip. Forgive me and any others who here and now resolve to guard their mouths from words that stain the lives of others. We beg the help of the Holy Spirit today. Amen.
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