Gossip and Slander: Burying Our Wounded Soldiers Alive. Part 1

It happens, on occasion, that hurting Christians, who I don’t know at all, tell me their deepest darkest secrets and stories of struggles and doubts. I guess that there is something about being able to remain anonymous or only be known to one other person, and pour out your heart about your struggles and sins. I guess that is a good thing, and I don’t mind. But what frustrates me is almost every time I mention going to the Church with their problems, a pastor or an elder, or mature Christian friend, the response is basically,

“I can’t…cuz gossip and slander.”
or
“I can’t cuz people will know …”

The one place the hurting sinner should be able to turn to is the Church. But most people are too afraid, and sadly, most of them are justified in their fears. And that should shame us all. Someone once said that the church is the only army that shoots its wounded.

And it appears to be true.

Just look around. Instead of running to the side of our wounded brother or sister, we gossip about them. Instead of putting pressure on the wound to stop the bleed, we grab a shovel and start burying them with dirt while they look up at us, helpless, reaching out with a bloodstained hand and begging for mercy… That shovel is your tongue and the dirt is gossip, slander, discord, lies, secret whisperings on the wind that destroy instead of building up. The next time you hear some dirt being flung around, rather than picking up a shovel, go to the side of your wounded brother (that whom the gossip is about) and put some pressure on the wound: ask them about it, see their side of it, pray with them about it. Grab their arm and help them to their feet, or sling them over your shoulder and carry them to the medic. We should be doing everything we can to help our wounded brothers and sisters, not bury them.

Read part 2: Plugging the Bleed