Gossip

Why is gossip so bad?

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." (James 1:26 ESV)

What comes out of your mouth shows what is in your heart. Gossip, criticism, flattery, lies, and profanity are not only "word" problems but "heart" problems as well.

"Whoever goes about slandering reveals secrets,
 but he who is trustworthy in spirit keeps a thing covered." (Proverbs 11:13 ESV)

Gossips make poor friends. Gossips are demolition experts, trying to tear others down, while trustworthy people build others up.

"They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,.." (Romans 1:29-30 ESV)

God catalogs gossip with such sins as greed, hate, envy and murder.

"Besides that, they learn to be idlers, going about from house to house, and not only idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying what they should not." (1 Timothy 5:13 ESV)

Gossiping often grows out of idleness. If you have nothing better to do than sit around talking about other people, you wind up saying things you later regret.

"The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
  they go down into the inner parts of the body." (Proverbs 18:8 ESV)

Gossip hurts others. It also destroys your credibility if the gossip proves false.

How do I stop gossip?

"For lack of wood the fire goes out,
  and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases." (Proverbs 26:20 ESV)

Stop the chain of gossip with you! When you hear gossip, you can do something about it--you can decide not to spread it any further.

"then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently. And behold, if it be true and certain that such an abomination has been done among you," (Deuteronomy 13:14 ESV)

If you are concerned about something you've heard, you must look carefully into the matter without assuming what you have been told is true. Go to the source and get the facts straight.

“So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." (Matthew 7:12 ESV)

The Golden Rule can also be applied to your speech--"Talk about others in the same way you would like them to talk about you."

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." (Ephesians 4:29 ESV)

It's really true--what you spend most of your time thinking about is what you end up doing. When you're tempted to complain, train yourself instead to pray. When you're tempted to gossip, compliment or encourage someone instead.

"And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17 ESV)

If you think you may be about to gossip, ask yourself, "Does the person I'm talking to need to know this? Is it true, accurate, and helpful?"

"For whoever desires to love life
  and see good days,
 let him keep his tongue from evil
  and his lips from speaking deceit;"
 

(1 Peter 3:10 ESV)