Recognizing Gossip

Recognizing Gossip

2025 Theme:  Faithfulness

Series Title:  Gossip:  Destroyer of Trust

Scripture:  Proverbs 18:8, 26:22

February 2^nd, 2025

Something to think about:

Winston Churchill exemplified integrity and respect in the face of opposition.  During his last year in office, he attended an official ceremony.  Several rows behind him two gentlemen began whispering.  “That's Winston Churchill.”  “They say he is getting senile.”  “They say he should step aside and leave the running of the nation to more dynamic and capable men.”  When the ceremony was over, Churchill turned to the men and said, “Gentlemen, they also say he is deaf!”[1]

Oh, gossip.  It’s so much fun until it circles back around, and you're left feeling stupid and embarrassed. 

We start a new series today entitled “Gossip:  Destroyer of Trust.”  And that is truly what gossip does; it destroys trust and leaves a person unfaithful and desolate.  In this series, we will explore what gossip is and how to recognize it, we will learn how to resist it, we will learn how to respond to it, and how to end it.  Today, we’re exploring how to recognize it.

The writer of Proverbs explains, not once, but twice, that…

Proverbs 18:8, 26:22 (HCSB),  A gossip’s words are like choice food

that goes down to one’s innermost being.^[2]

The word that is used for “choice food” here in this verse can also be translated as dainty morsels or something that a person devours greedily.  They are also known as delicacies, not generally healthy, but very tasty.  Pastor Matthew Mitchell, in his book Resisting Gossip, writes,

“[These] ‘choice morsels’ are tasty things that we want to devour quickly.  They are the best, most attractive things to eat.  They are like a bowl of potato chips left on the kitchen counter.

“What happens in most families if Mom puts a bowl of Doritos (or substitute your favorite salty snack here) out on the kitchen counter in the late afternoon?  I don’t know about your family, but at our place, those things are gone like the wind!  My wife, Heather Joy, has gotten wise to this and now puts out a bowl of apples or carrots. …

“But let’s say there are Doritos on the counter.  What happens if you eat the whole bag before supper?  Unless you have the constitution of an ox, you’re probably going to feel sick.  Gossip is like that.  It goes ‘down into a [person’s] inmost parts.’”[3]

Here’s the point:

Key Point:  “Gossip is the junk food of speech.”

What are some ways that we recognize and determine what is and what isn’t gossip?  Matthew Mitchell has created the following definition and our first point: 

• Sinful gossip is bearing bad  behind someone's  out of a bad  . [4]

Proverbs 10:19 (NLT),  Too much talk leads to sin.  Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.

• People  because everyone loves  .

Luke 6:45 (NLT),  A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.  What you say flows from what is in your heart.

• A  tells  stories.

Matthew 12:36-37 (NLT),  [Jesus said], “I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.  The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

Something to take home:

Yiddish folklore offers a telling tale about gossip-makers.  One such man had told so many malicious untruths about the local rabbi that, overcome by remorse, he begged the rabbi to forgive him…

“Rabbi, tell me how I can make amends." the man said.

The rabbi sighed, “Ok.  Take two pillows, go to the public square and there cut the pillows open.  Wave them in the air.  Then come back.”

The man ran home, got two pillows and a knife, hastened to the square, cut the pillows open, waved them in the air, and quickly ran back to the Rabbi.  

“I did just what you said, Rabbi!” said the man.

“Good.” The rabbi smiled.

“Now, to realize how much harm is done by gossip, go back to the square and collect all the feathers.”

Gossip is bearing bad news behind someone's back out of a bad heart.  Have you ever heard this kind of news before?  Have you ever spoken this kind of news before?  We must remember, as the Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians in the New Testament…

Ephesians 4:29 (NRSV),  Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,^b as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.

[1] Barbara Hatcher, Vital Speeches, March 1, 1987.

^[2] The Holy Bible: Holman Christian Standard Version. 2009. Nashville: Holman Bible Publishers.

[3] Matthew C. Mitchell, Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue, (CLC Publications: Fort Washington, Pennsylvania; 2013), 22.

[4] Ibid., 23.

^b Other ancient authorities read building up faith