Resisting Gossip – Part 1: Recognizing Gossip
Manage episode 424432577 series 3580678
This week we want to work through the issue of gossip. We will be using Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue by Matthew Mitchell as a guide.
Resisting Gossip – Part 1: Recognizing Gossip (chapters 1-3)
- Key verses – Proverbs 18:8; 26:22 – The words for a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”
Gospel defined
▪ Talking – a gossip betrays a confidence (Proverbs 20:19)
▪ Listening – “Wrongdoers early listen to gossip; liars pay close attention to slander” (Proverbs 17:4)
Three types of bad news
1. Bad information (lies)
2. Bad news about someone (sharing shameful truth; slander)
▪ Proverbs 11:13 – “a gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret”
▪ Proverbs 10:18 – “Whoever spreads slander is a fool”
3. Bad news for someone – bad news wickedly projected for someone else
Gossip happens when the person you are talking about is not there –
Questions to ask:
- Would you say this if the person was standing there beside you? [are some exceptions – provide examples]
- Would I receive this bad news about them in the same way if they were present?
- Am I hiding this conversation from someone?
- Would I want someone else to talk this way bout me if I were out of the room?
- [Is it true, necessary, and kind]
In recognizing gossip, important questions to ask:
- Why am I saying this?
- Why am I listening to this?
- Why am I attracted to this bad news?
Why do we gossip?
▪ Love of stories ~ sinful heart makes us enjoy and be attracted to sinful stories (gossip)
▪ We gossip because bad words are an overflow from our bad hearts (Matthew 12:33- 37)
A gallery of gossips
1. The spy – those that probe(motivated by power)
2. The grumbler – complains or criticizes (motivated by jealousy)
3. The backstabber – like the grumbler but angrier and more hateful (motivated by payback)
4. The chameleon – goes along with gossip to fit in with the crowd (motivated by fear)
5. The busybody – person who is idle and not engaged in purposeful business (motivated by a desire to be
entertained and escape from the boredom of their life)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com.
Every weekday at 8:00am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on 94.1 The Voice in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, USA.
If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them.
Phone: (208) 991-3526
E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.com
Podcast website: https://941thevoice.com/podcasts/gospel-for-life/
1403 episodes