Gossip

OK, so yesterday I let you guys down. It happens to the best of us. Ironically enough, I heard a preacher yesterday on the radio talking about how we humans are very good at that.

Why is it that are so quick to gossip, and why is the bad gossip always the easiest to tell? Why don't we get excited about the good things that happen to people and gossip about that? Have you ever heard someone say something good about anybody and it spread like wildfire?

The Bible addresses gossip many times, but lets look at one of the earliest examples found in the book of Genesis.

20 Noah, a farmer, was the first to plant a vineyard. 21 He drank from its wine, got drunk and passed out, naked in his tent. 22 Ham, the father of Canaan, saw that his father was naked and told his two brothers who were outside the tent. 23 Shem and Japheth took a cloak, held it between them from their shoulders, walked backwards and covered their father's nakedness, keeping their faces turned away so they did not see their father's exposed body. 24 When Noah woke up with his hangover, he learned what his youngest son had done. 25 He said, Cursed be Canaan! A slave of slaves, a slave to his brothers!26 Blessed be God, the God of Shem, but Canaan shall be his slave. 27 God prosper Japheth, living spaciously in the tents of Shem. But Canaan shall be his slave.28 Noah lived another 350 years following the flood. 29 He lived a total of 950 years. And he died.
Gen 9:20-29 (MSG)

Does Ham remind you of anyone? Can't you just see him looking in the tent and seeing Noah and eagerly finding his brothers tell them what he had seen. How many times have we watched a brother or sister fall only to run and spread it like a town cryer (reference Paul Revere)? When we should really act like Shem and Japheth and cover them with love and not look upon their nakedness. The real examples of what we are supposed to do and be are in the roles of Shem and Japheth. Wow, what a story of love and respect.

Just like with us nothing good ever comes out of spreading gossip. And Ham found this out when at the end of this passage he and his son were cursed by Noah. I think that we too curse our self by falling into this trap and don't even realize it. The curse is the that we distance ourselves from God by this action.

Dale did a passage on this last year and he used a handy acronym about gossip:
T - Is it TRUE
H - Is it HELPFUL
I - Is it IMPORTANT
N - Is it NECESSARY
K - Is it KIND
The next time you hear something THINK about it and ask yourself the above questions. I think you'll start learning to help cover the nakedness instead of exposing it.

Jesus is forever covering my nakedness (sin) and completing me. He can do the same for you if you'll just ask him. Have you thanked him lately for completing you?

Have a Blessed Day!!