A Whispering, Secret Slandering.

See the title?  That is about you.

Yes.  You. I am talking to you.

The next time you whisper to me about someone’s secret things, whether they are true or not, I am going to rebuke you, and probably throw a bible at you.

HARD.

Please forgive future me…

I hate gossip.  I hate it so much, partly because I have done it.  Partly because I have been the victim, and likely you have as well.

The New Testament warns against gossiping. The Greek word translated “gossip” means whisper or whisperer.

Let’s take a look at what Strong’s says about the word gossip:

psithurismos: a whispering

Original Word: ψιθυρισμός, οῦ, ὁ
Part of Speech: Noun, Masculine
Transliteration: psithurismos
Phonetic Spelling: (psith-oo-ris-mos’)
Short Definition: a whispering, secret slandering
Definition: a whispering, secret slandering. psithyrismós (from psithos, “whisper”) – properly, a whispering to “quietly” spread malicious gossip; “whispering” that launches “secret attacks on a person’s character” (Souter).

In other words, the focus is not on the falsehood of the word – it may not even be technically false –  rather the focus is on the fact that it needs to be surreptitious, or kept secret,  because it would not be approved of. Gossip is about ruining a person – whether you intend to or not. Gossip is done in secret to one or two other ears. Gossip is not open.  Gossip cloaked in darkness.  It hides in the shadows, whispered to one or two people out of the sight of others, never brought to the light and causing damage to a person’s reputation and character.

Gossip does not operate in the light of love.

Gossip is not aiming at healing.

It strokes the  gossipers ego by creating the illusion that they are right without playing by the rules of love.

“He told me…” “Did you hear…”  “Guess what…” “I can’t believe she…”

Stop.

If you are not talking to the person, you should not be talking about them, unless you are speaking well of them.

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder. I fear that when I come again my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many of those who sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality that they have practiced. 2 Corinthians 12:20, 21

Please.

I implore you…Let us not be the church Paul was speaking of.

Let me leave you with the words of our Lord.  And think about it.  Don’t just read it.

Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”