Sunday, November 23, 2025
Idle Conversation Breeds Gossip
This is the kind of gossip that God commanded His people not to indulge in, it only causes others to look down on the target of the gossip without reason.
Recently, someone confided in me about something a father had done wrong. They saw him from across the parking lot, chastising his daughter who was talking to a boy.
They made the assumption that the daughter and young man were innocent in their conversation, even though they saw them only once a year, didn't know what the father was saying, and had no information as to the interactions with the daughter and young man all the rest of the year.
In fact, they didn't even know the young man. But they judged the father harsh and restrictive. This is the very kind of thing I see all the time that ruins reputations. No real information, not even knowing what was said or why.
These are also those who made judgments about me without information, only what they wished to believe, without enough information, and worse, it was none of their business.
These people could have easily chosen not to make a judgment at all, assuming the father knew what he was doing and that whatever it was, it was none of their business.
Let's stop judging people for things that are not our business, not sin, and may even be what God told the judged person to do.
Someone who thinks they have a right to know everything about others, but often knows little because they are the ones who do not communicate well with others. They assume things that make them feel superior, unable to be completely objective.
John 7:24 "24 Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
When we judge, it ought to be according to God's standard and not our own prejudices. It ought to be with knowledge about the situation and not merely ideas thought up in the head about what might be going on, based on our own prejudices about someone, or worse, the desire to turn others against that person.
People who think they know everything are the most likely people to make judgments they have no business making about others.
We must judge things to be able to present the truths of God, but it matters what we are presenting and why.
Also, perhaps it is best to speak to people about others on a "need to know" basis, not just for the sake of idle conversation.
Matthew 12:36 "36 But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment."
Recently, someone confided in me about something a father had done wrong. They saw him from across the parking lot, chastising his daughter who was talking to a boy.
They made the assumption that the daughter and young man were innocent in their conversation, even though they saw them only once a year, didn't know what the father was saying, and had no information as to the interactions with the daughter and young man all the rest of the year.
In fact, they didn't even know the young man. But they judged the father harsh and restrictive. This is the very kind of thing I see all the time that ruins reputations. No real information, not even knowing what was said or why.
These are also those who made judgments about me without information, only what they wished to believe, without enough information, and worse, it was none of their business.
These people could have easily chosen not to make a judgment at all, assuming the father knew what he was doing and that whatever it was, it was none of their business.
Let's stop judging people for things that are not our business, not sin, and may even be what God told the judged person to do.
Someone who thinks they have a right to know everything about others, but often knows little because they are the ones who do not communicate well with others. They assume things that make them feel superior, unable to be completely objective.
John 7:24 "24 Do not judge by the outward appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.”
When we judge, it ought to be according to God's standard and not our own prejudices. It ought to be with knowledge about the situation and not merely ideas thought up in the head about what might be going on, based on our own prejudices about someone, or worse, the desire to turn others against that person.
People who think they know everything are the most likely people to make judgments they have no business making about others.
We must judge things to be able to present the truths of God, but it matters what we are presenting and why.
Also, perhaps it is best to speak to people about others on a "need to know" basis, not just for the sake of idle conversation.
Matthew 12:36 "36 But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment."
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