TALES WITH STINGS

          In his brief book, Little Foxes That Spoil The Vine, W. B. J. Martin writes:  “Seeing that we spend so much of our time talking -- it is odd that we hear so few sermons on the discipline of the tongue.”  In his list of sins to put aside (Col.3:5f), Paul specifies the sins of slander and abusive speech.   GOSSIP surely dwells under the canopy of abusive speech.  And while all gossip is not necessarily slanderous, most gossip is abusive.  More often than not, gossip has a defamatory or hurtful intent.  In 1Tim.3:11, the apostle Paul speaks of “malicious gossips”.  In Rom.1:28 we find gossip listed alongside of other unseemly sins like:  wickedness, murder, haters of God and inventors of evil.  Is there really such a thing as harmless gossip??   

          The sin of gossip that infiltrated the church of the first century (2Cor.12:20 and 1Tim.5:13) continues to infect the church of the 21st century.  Not a few of us have been hurt by gossip - - we have felt the sting of the tales.  And not a few of us have also engaged in gossiping, hurting others more than we’ll ever know.  Gossiping is fueled by chronic fault-finding.  Busybodies bring shame and sorrow to the church.  James warns, Behold, how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire (Js.3:5).  Gossiping often does irreparable damage.  One man who had told many malicious un-

truths about the local rabbi, was finally overcome by remorse.  He asked the rabbi how he could make amends. The rabbi signed, ‘Take two pillows, go to the public square and there cut the pillows open.  Wave them in the air.  Then come back.’  The rumormonger quickly went home, got two pil- lows and a knife, hastened to the square, cut the pillows, waved them in the air and hastened back to the rabbi’s chambers. ‘I did just what you said, Rabbi!’  'Good.'  The rabbi smiled.  ‘Now, to realize how much harm is done by gossip, go back to the square.’  'And?'  'And collect all your feathers.'  Gossiping is a sin of the mouth that originates in the heart (Mk.7:21).  The only way to curtail gossip is to undergo heart surgery - - lip surgery will simply not suffice.  A good place for all of us to begin is to start praying (daily and earnestly) one of David’s ancient and sacred psalms (Ps.19:14):

LET THE WORDS OF MY MOUTH AND THE MEDITATION OR MY HEART BE ACCEPTABLE IN THY SIGHT, O LORD, MY ROCK AND MY REDEEMER.

                                                                             Terry Siverd / Cortland Church of Christ