From a devotion book I have:
Avoid Gossip
"So rid yourselves of all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander." -1Peter 2:1 Holman CSB
Face facts: gossip is the guilty little pleasure that tempts almost all of us from time to time. Why is it so tempting to gossip? Because when we put other people down, we experience a brief dose of self-righteousness as we look down our noses at the mideeds of other. But there's a catch: In truth, we can never really build ourselves up by tearing other people down. So, the habit of gossip turned out to be a self-defeating waste of time.
It's no wonder that the Bible clearly teaches that gossip is wrong. Consider the simple advice found in Proverbs 16:28 : "Gossip ruins friendships" (NCV). So do yourself a big favor: Don't spend precious time talking about other people. It's a waste of words, it's the wrong thing to do, and in the end, it will leave you with less self-respect, not more.
When you avoid the temptation to engage in gossip,
you'll feel better about yourself--and other people will feel better about you, too. So don't do it.
"To belittle is to be little." -anon
"I still believe we ought to talk about Jesus. The old country doctor of my boyhood days always began his examination by saying, 'Let me see your tongue.' That's a good way to check a Christian: the tongue test. Let's hear what he is talking about." -Vince Havner
"Would we want our hidden sins to be devulged? Then we should be silent about the hidden sins of others." -St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle
When talking about other people, use this guideline: don't say something behind someone's back that you wouldn't say to that person directly.
This devo could be an hourly reminder...maybe even by the half hour in some cases. Also, gossipping isn't always said aloud, either. The very thought about someone else is sometimes worse than what comes out the mouth.
Prayer requests?
Avoid Gossip
"So rid yourselves of all wickedness, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander." -1Peter 2:1 Holman CSB
Face facts: gossip is the guilty little pleasure that tempts almost all of us from time to time. Why is it so tempting to gossip? Because when we put other people down, we experience a brief dose of self-righteousness as we look down our noses at the mideeds of other. But there's a catch: In truth, we can never really build ourselves up by tearing other people down. So, the habit of gossip turned out to be a self-defeating waste of time.
It's no wonder that the Bible clearly teaches that gossip is wrong. Consider the simple advice found in Proverbs 16:28 : "Gossip ruins friendships" (NCV). So do yourself a big favor: Don't spend precious time talking about other people. It's a waste of words, it's the wrong thing to do, and in the end, it will leave you with less self-respect, not more.
When you avoid the temptation to engage in gossip,
you'll feel better about yourself--and other people will feel better about you, too. So don't do it.
"To belittle is to be little." -anon
"I still believe we ought to talk about Jesus. The old country doctor of my boyhood days always began his examination by saying, 'Let me see your tongue.' That's a good way to check a Christian: the tongue test. Let's hear what he is talking about." -Vince Havner
"Would we want our hidden sins to be devulged? Then we should be silent about the hidden sins of others." -St. Jean Baptiste de la Salle
When talking about other people, use this guideline: don't say something behind someone's back that you wouldn't say to that person directly.
This devo could be an hourly reminder...maybe even by the half hour in some cases. Also, gossipping isn't always said aloud, either. The very thought about someone else is sometimes worse than what comes out the mouth.
Prayer requests?
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