Tips For Triumphant Living -- Don't Carry Tales

None of us wants to be seen as the type who ridicules others. And I doubt that many of us consider ourselves to be malicious. But let's get honest--we're humans and all humans do bad things some of the time, including being a tale bearer. Perhaps we fall into it unintentionally. Nevertheless if we've taken part we've sinned.

Proverbs 29:8 says, "Mockers can get a whole town agitated, but the wise will calm anger." Seems clear to me that we're called to bring calm to our world not anger. Mocking someone else or gossiping about others is always damaging and stirs up trouble.

I know a person who doesn't intentionally do this, but there is often a cloud of trouble swirling around him. He loves God and serves faithfully and yet he mocks others. He has a tendency to see the worst in people and is quick to share his views. Soon, the word is out about so-and-so and people are quick to judge and to jump on the gossip train.

If we listen to hateful words about someone else and accept them as truth we're part of the problem. It's easy to think we know the "facts" when we don't. Only God knows a man's heart. Only he can judge.

I've seen major storms break out in a church over one piece of misinformation passed along by someone who thinks they recognize a truth others ought to know. We hurt each other, sometimes with eternal consequences. Oh, how it must grieve our Lord.

I've been on both sides of this issue--a tale bearer and the victim of tales. Both hurt, but when I think back to my part in a flood of gossip or judgement I'm filled with shame and I vow--never again.

God says we're to love one another. How much better it is to pray for and to lift up others rather than to tear them down. Love brings blessings.

Grace and peace to you from God.

Bonnie