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Everybody knows one. Probably more than one. Unfortunately, just about every church has one, too. Sometimes more than one. I’m referring to that nosy chatterbox we commonly call a gossip.

This busybody may be young or old, male or female. He pries into matters that are none of his business, often under the premise of just wanting to be helpful. He talks about things that are nobody’s business, often bringing them up without the slightest prompting. In some cases it seems to be the only way he can make conversation. Share private information with this person, and you might as well put it on the nightly news. To make matters worse, he’s also prone to bungling the facts (he doesn’t listen carefully) and jumping to wrong conclusions (he doesn’t think carefully, either). So he ends up spreading a lot of misinformation. Confide in him about something personal, and soon a dozen others will know about it—and will probably have the wrong idea about it. 

God says that this kind of conduct is not only troublesome, it’s sinful. He warned ancient Israel of its danger (Leviticus 19:16; Psalm 15:1-3; 101:5). And in the New Testament, He condemns it in the same breath as murder and thievery, wrath and conceit, brutality and treachery (1 Peter 4:15; 2 Corinthians 12:20; 2 Timothy 3:2-4). So what can we do to fight it?

Don’t become that person. “A worthless man digs up evil, while his words are like scorching fire. A perverse man spreads strife, and a slanderer separates intimate friends” (Proverbs 16:27-28). 

Most of us would admit to a feeling of satisfaction (pride?) at being the source of some useful piece of information. It makes us feel important, needed. And that is often the appeal of spreading gossip. But if you choose to be a busybody and a tale-bearer, you need to know that certain results will follow. Your meddling will be a constant source of agitation, confusion, and discord for others. You will often be seen as a disruptive influence in their lives, a nuisance at best, a danger at worst. And you will have rendered yourself unworthy of their trust (Proverbs 11:13). People will hesitate to talk to you about anything more important than the weather. Some will prefer to avoid you as much as possible. They will calculate that sharing their problems or feelings with you will result in those things becoming public knowledge; that the slightest disagreement between you will be broadcast far and wide; and that you will talk about them as recklessly as you talk about others. And they will decide that it’s not worth the risk. 

And when you need to seek counsel for your own troubles, you’ll find that it’s hard for others to be open to you. You’ll find that your behavior has damaged your credibility, closed off avenues of trust and communication, perhaps bred resentment toward you.

Worst of all, in creating such chaos, you will have become something that God has said He abhors (Proverbs 6:19).

When you feel the urge to share a juicy tidbit of information, stop and ask yourself some questions. How do I know it’s true? Does my listener need to hear it? Am I the one he should hear it from? Will I be violating a confidence by sharing it? What good purpose will it serve? Will it build up or tear down, protect or harm? What are my true motives for wanting to tell it? Honest answers to those questions can keep you from going down a destructive and damning path. “And I say to you, that every careless word that men shall speak, they shall render account for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37).

Don’t enable that person. “For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, contention quiets down” (Proverbs 26:20). “He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip” (Proverbs 20:19).

Ultimately, a gossip has only as much power as others give him. There are ways to minimize the damage this blabbermouth can cause.

Scripture sometimes likens gossip to a fire. And a fire needs two things to keep burning: fuel and oxygen. Without fuel (wood, for instance), the fire is starved. Without oxygen, it is smothered. Deprived of either, the fire goes out. And gossip can be extinguished the same way.

The fuel for gossip is information. Spreading it—even a mangled, incomplete version of it—is what a busybody lives for. If you know someone who loves to pry into and talk about other people’s business, you can bet that he’ll do it to you if given the chance. So don’t confide in him. Sharing personal information (about yourself or anyone else) with a gossip is like handing drugs to an addict. Don’t enable his habit by giving him more material to work with. Don’t fuel the fire.

The oxygen for gossip is receptiveness. A busybody feels the need, perhaps above all else, to be taken seriously. He craves an eager audience, a nod of agreement, a word of validation. And if he thinks you’re giving him that, then he will crank up the gossip machine. Donna Eder, a sociologist at Indiana University, observed this in her research. She noted that the real starting point for gossip was not, for example, the initial negative statement (e.g., “Lucy’s a real snob, isn’t she?”). Instead, it was when someone else agreed that the gossip-fest began. On the other hand, she noted, “an immediate quibble from a listener could send talk into a less critical direction.” Smother gossip by refusing to give it a platform and countering it with something positive. 

“There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (Proverbs 12:18). “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” (Ephesians 4:29, NIV). BY JEFF HIMMEL

“GOD LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU AND THAT’S THE WAY IT’S GONNA BE!” – MIKE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlS-nkPDz7s&list=PLwtsMuvoCapYt_JtEIRSAOB4Tl7O0MUfz&index=9

Our only hope for redemption is grace: “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23). The subject of grace is quite the important topic in the Bible; unfortunately, it is one that many in the religious world misunderstand. Therefore, if we keep these nine things in mind, we will know what the Bible says about grace.

First, grace saves (Eph. 2:8), but it does so through faith. In other words, saving grace cooperates with works of faith (Rom. 4:16; James 2:17-18). We should never confuse works of faith with meritorious works (Eph. 2:9), because these place merit in the works themselves rather than in the source of these works, which is Jesus Christ! Because of what Jesus did, culminating with His death, burial and resurrection, I am able to access His saving grace through the obedience of faith (cf. Rom. 1:5; 16:26), which recognizes the merit where it ought to be—in Christ! This is how grace is able to save!

Second, grace separates (Rom. 6:1-4). Through my faith, whenever I trust in the work of Christ and turn to God through repentance and obedience, because of the goodness of God (Rom. 2:4), I then become separated from the past, just as Abraham left behind Ur of the Chaldees. We leave behind the world—its aims, aspirations and values. We no longer live as we used to live. We change. In addition, we separate from ourselves (Matt. 16:24). We must crucify self (Gal. 2:20). We separate ourselves from anything that stands between God and us, or that competes with God, because God now comes first (Matt. 6:33). In this way, grace separates.

Third, grace forbids sensual living: “For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 1:4). Here were some who were “turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness,” which underscores those who want access to grace, but refuse to live godly lives. In other words, grace takes care of those who believe and teach, “We can access the grace of God while living any way we want to live!” No, the Bible does not teach this! Grace forbids sensual living.

Fourth, grace serves (Heb. 12:28). Grace does not bring us into the kingdom of God for us to just sit down. In gratitude to God, even as the apostle Paul said, we say, “I am debtor to all men!” (cf. Rom. 1:14). Out of the joy and gladness of heart that God has redeemed us by His grace at a time when we were so unworthy, we are now ready, willing and anxious to serve God every day and in every way! I am not only going to assemble for worship services, but I am going to serve Him daily! Grace serves.

Fifth, grace submits and suffers (Heb. 2:7-9). By the grace of God, Christ suffered and submitted to the will of God (cf. Phil. 2:5-8). Therefore, the grace of God calls for submission and suffering. If we are going to access the saving grace of God, we must be willing to submit to the will of God, and we must be willing to suffer for the will of God. Think about what Jesus did for us on the cruel tree of Calvary! Yet, the nature of humanity is to avoid suffering. Not so, the Bible teaches. Grace is ready to submit and suffer.

Sixth, grace sings (Col. 3:15-17; Eph. 5:19-20). We often leave out one of the key elements of what Paul teaches about singing—we are to sing because we are thankful! Read the psalms and note how there were songs of joy in their heart! The first recorded song in the Bible is in Exodus 15, when God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage. Whenever the grace of God lays hold of our hearts, melodies of songs of praise and gratitude will flood our hearts! In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were in prison with bleeding, beaten backs. Yet, the grace of God put a song in their heart as they were praying and singing! The reason why so many Christians struggle with singing is because they fail to appreciate what the grace of God has done in their hearts. Every time we worship God in song, we ought to think about what God has done for us as unworthy recipients of His grace! For the congregation that thinks about such, they will raise the rafters! Grace sings!

Seventh, grace gives us a standing place (Rom. 5:2). God is holy, but humanity is sinful. Thus, God cannot fellowship with sin. The only standing ground that I have is “in Christ,” which I access by grace. By the grace of God, I am able to stand in Christ, wherein I am able to have fellowship with God, in spite of my frailties and weaknesses. The one who is not in Christ has no place to stand! Grace gives us a standing place!
Eighth, grace sacrifices (2 Cor. 8:1-4). The Macedonians begged the apostle Paul to have the opportunity to give, even out of their deep poverty. As such, grace sacrifices.

Finally, grace is sufficient (2 Cor. 12:9). The grace of God is sufficient for every situation and every need in life (cf. Eph. 2:7).

If we keep these nine things in mind about grace, we will understand exactly what the Bible teaches about that which saves us. BY SAM WILLCUT

“GOD LOVES YOU AND I LOVE YOU AND THAT’S THE WAY IT’S GONNA BE!” – MIKE