Cartoonology. There is great theology in cartoons and comics.
Remember the game we used to play where one person whispers something in the ear of another, and then that person whispers that same message into the ear of another and so on. By the time it reaches the last person in the group, the message is nothing like it started out. This is due two reasons. Either the message was misunderstood along the way, or some people deliberately changed the message.
This is how gossip works most of the time, which is a good reason not to engage in the practice. The truth will always get changed along the way, and someone gets hurt. We have all done it, whether intentionally or unintentionally. The temptation is so strong. I have heard people say, “That’s not gossip, its true.” The dictionary defines gossip as idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others. Either way, gossip destroys people and relationships.
Proverbs 16:28 (NLT)
28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.
The Apostle Paul placed gossip in a long list of other horrible sins.
Romans 1:29-30 (NLT)
29 Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip.
30 They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents.
The writer of Proverbs implies that a gossiper is a fool and a person who refrains is wise.
Proverbs 17:27 (NLT)
27 A truly wise person uses few words; a person with understanding is even-tempered.
The Apostle Paul tells us to use our tongue and speech for our neighbor’s good (Romans 15:2) and for building up (Ephesians 4:29) rather than tearing down. Living under the influence of the Holy Spirit will enable us to do these things (Galatians 5:22). The only way to break a bad habit is to replace it with good one. I think the Psalmist understood this (Psalm 150).
In American culture, gossip has become a huge, popular, stylized, profitable business with all the newspaper, magazine, TV and radio gossip columns. Some of these are entirely constructed around gossip, which are often intentional lies. The word gossip has become synonymous with the word lie. And in some circles, including churches, gossip is quite often disguised as prayer requests. We all have a lot of work to do to keep from gossiping. And we shouldn’t forget that listening to gossip is just as bad as telling it. 04-06-09
edrynn@verizon.net
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