Choosing Forgiveness Over Gossip

In review of Proverbs 17:9 it says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends.”

Bottom Line:

Love will prosper when a fault is forgiven, you will lose a friend if you keep talking about what they did wrong.

What this means to me:

True love on my part includes forgiving others. If I harp on it or not let it go, I will only lose them.

When someone does something crazy around me, it’s almost impossible to not reach out for someone else and say, “you won’t believe what they just said or did!” We naturally want to tell someone else, we want affirmation from someone else. This need for affirmation is one of the most difficult things in the world to let go of it. It may feel good when we tell someone to spread the word about the crazy-person’s act, but it’s also unloving.

The Bible tells me to forgive even your enemies. Proverbs 17:9 says, “Love prospers when a fault is forgiven, but dwelling on it separates close friends” (NLT).

Gossip is an incredibly destructive thing. It is destructive to me and those around me. It will tear me up and it will separate the closest of friends.

The worst thing about gossip is that the crazy-person wins! All of a sudden, the crazy-person is controlling my conversation. The crazy-person is controlling my emotions. Don’t let that person win! Don’t let the crazy-person win by choosing gossip.

1 Peter 3:9 says, “Do not do wrong to repay a wrong, and do not insult to repay an insult. But repay with a blessing, because you yourselves were called to do this so that you might receive a blessing” (NCV).

Overall, I just need to realize that when I want to tell someone else about it, it’s a form of gossip. I’ll need to remember forgiveness over gossip. Also that my affirmation should come from God, not others.