You'll never guess what I just found out? Intriguing isn't it? Unfortunately it's phrases like this and what tends to follow that can get us in trouble, especially us girls. I'm talking about gossip. Now I know that everyone wants to know what's going on and most the time you are just passing on information, but I caution you of what you pass on to another person. There are lots of things you may find out in life and even be true but you don't necessarily need to pass it on to someone else. I am a person who likes to be in the know and unfortunately that has got me in trouble. I have to remind myself, "Missy you don't have to know everything that's going on!" Gossip though is so intriguing and tempting of course that is why God warns us against it. A good friend and I have a code word, if one of us starts gossiping we say the code word. It then stops the conversation and we move on to something else.
In our reading today I liked the Message version especially v 4, "Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don’t talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect." (Ephesians 5:4 MSG)
Wow not only does it say not to gossip but that we, as followers of Jesus have better uses for the language. We have better things to talk about then what is going on with Suzy and Dan or what Jane was wearing. It goes on to say we need to have a dialect of thanksgiving. So Sisters let's have a dialect of thanksgiving and not talk silly. When we have things to say let them be uplifting and encouraging to those who are listening.
This week's reading
M-5:3-5
T-5:6-8
W-5:9-11
Th-5:12-14
F-5:15-17
-Missy D
I am so thankful you left the "code word" out of the story! LOL! Great post and a great reminder!
ReplyDeleteThanks for this post, Missy. I struggle with this because I just happen to know a lot about what goes on with a lot of people. I have to be aware of whether what I'm sharing is gossip or not. I have to decide whether it is edifying or not. I have caught myself in the past telling someone about something "so that they could pray for that person" and have had to remind myself that that is not my job. If they wanted someone knowing their business to pray for them, they would tell that person. It is respect for one's privacy and it is not gossiping.
ReplyDeleteThanks again for the reminder!