Gossip

I recently heard someone say that even politely telling someone that they have wronged you is “not the Christian thing to do.” I was shocked to hear this because Matthew 18:15-17 says “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” It is especially disturbing to hear that it is wrong to respectfully tell someone their faults and offer to help them to do better, but it is apparently not wrong to tell everybody else about them. This is a problem. If one tells everybody about their problem with one person except for that one person, that person will eventually hear what it being said about them. A whisper may be soft, but a million whispers can be like yelling into a microphone. However, this is not the only issue. It is also a problem that those who are being talked about get so hurt over what people say about them. Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 says to “not pay attention to every word people say, or you may hear your servant cursing you—for you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.” If what they are saying is not true, don’t listen to it. If what they are saying is true, use it as an opportunity to better yourself. Maybe they go about the situation the wrong way, but two wrongs don’t make a right. By improving yourself, you could be disproving them.

“In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:7-8