Learning To Deal With Gossip

In review of Proverbs 11:13 it says, “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”

Bottom Line:

A gossip will betray a confidence, whereas someone trustworthy will keep a secret.

What this means to me:

A gossip is someone who can not be trusted with a secret or a confidence. A trustworthy person is one that can be trusted, you can put your confidence in them, they will keep your secret.

I think our culture tends to think of gossip as one of those “little” sins. But when God talks about gossip, I believe he puts it on the list with other things like sexual immorality and murder. Mainly because it is so destructive to relationships. Gossip can tear apart friendships, families, and churches.

Gossip is talking about a situation with somebody who is neither a part of the solution nor a part of the problem. Honestly if and when I engage in this, what I’m doing is making myself feel more important at somebody else’s expense. Talking about their hurts and their problems make me feel like I’m morally superior or better. That’s the danger and the hurt of gossip.

I’m reminded of a story in the Old Testament about a family that struggled with gossip (Numbers 12:9-11.) Moses had a sister named Miriam who one day got caught up in murmuring and gossiping about Moses among the rest of the people. God called Moses and Miriam in and had a little talk. He spoke with Miriam and told her what she’d done wrong and right there on the spot gave her leprosy. He then invited Moses to pray for Miriam’s healing, the very person who gossiped against him.

When I get hurt by gossip and things that have been said around the office or a broken confidence in a relationship, God is telling me to: “Pray for the person who gossiped against me so that I can be released from the hurt.”

When I can keep confidences, it enables me to connect to others in productive, healthy, and genuine ways.

This verse in Proverbs 11:13 reminds me that, “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret” (NIV).

Today I should consider if I’m the kind of person that can keep others confidences so they can trust me?

In summary, a person who gossips will betray a confidence, whereas someone who is trustworthy will keep a secret. This morning God I ask you to help me not be a person who can not be trusted with a secret or a confidence. Help me to have integrity and be a person that can be trusted, one that others can put their confidences in. I need to remember that I’m being a gossip when I talk about a situation with somebody who is neither a part of the solution nor a part of the problem. I need to recognize why I may be doing this. Am I trying make myself feel more important at somebody else’s expense? If so I need to humble myself and practice Philippians 2:3-4. When I’m on the opposing end of gossip, I need to pray specifically for the person who gossiped against me.