Is there anyone who is the victim of those who believe the gossip?
Remember this:
Hebrews 4:12-14 "12 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14 Therefore, since we have such a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.…"
Even Paul the Apostle encountered gossip that threatened to destroy his ministry.
2 Corinthians 12:2 "20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder."
Ephesians 4:29 "29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
Exodus 23:1 "1 “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness."
James 1:26 "26 Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless."
James 4:11 "11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it."
Proverbs 11:9 "9 With their mouths the godless destroy their neighbors, but through knowledge the righteous escape."
When we speak behind another one's back without ever speaking to the person toward whom the gossip is directed, then we are willing participants in that gossip.
It has been my experience that gossipers and those who listen, never approach those who are the target of gossip because they love to hear and they love to share that which demeans the victim. They also love to keep secrets hoping that their target will know what is going on to be frustrated by it. It is evil on many levels.
It is a good idea if there are accusation about a brother or sister in the Lord, that we go to them to help clear up that which may not be true at all. If it is true then it is an opportunity to bring the Scripture to bare, that the offender may repent.
However, many times the things we hear are half truths based on the feelings of the gossiper rather than truth. Half truths are more dangerous than a full lie because a full lie can easily be refuted, but a half truth makes the lie more credible, causing the one who is confronted to seem as though they are making up excuses to clear themselves.
Half truths are diabolical and deliberate to create a perception of something that is not true at all, making a half truth a whole lie.
There was a man who explained the effects of gossip by saying that gossip is likened to taking a feather pillow to the top of a windy hill, slitting it open and letting the feathers fly, they are blown every which way and can never be regathered and put back into the pillow.
Once someone has heard gossip and worse acted on it by treating the victim with contempt because of what they heard, there is nothing that can undo the damage outside of full confession with a broken heart over the damage to the victim.
May we think twice about acting upon or spreading news that we have no real personal interactions with to know facts. One witness is not enough, God calls for two and then He calls for interaction with the victim to hear all sides of the story.
Do we love enough to find out truth before treating someone as "lesser than", because of what we heard or even the little we thought we saw.
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