Today’s devotional was about gossip and the promotion of it.

There are two takeaways in my mind.

Knowing something negative about someone can happen because of friendship, communication or personal experience.
Knowing something about someone, however does not privilege you to make it part of your conversation with others.

Some people desire to seem “in the know” by spreading gossip, and you know in your mind and heart what gossip is.

STOP IT

Stop that acidity at the point of knowledge in your mind. Stop it before it spreads past you. You do not have to “get it out”.

One more thing…when you hear it…

STOP IT.

I once heard one of my closest friends speak something negative they heard from another source about someone we both knew and liked. My friend spoke it without malice….just repeated what had been said.

I knew it to be false.

Without attacking my close friend, I spoke up and with emphasis told my friend that what he had heard and just spoke was incorrect.

Even if it’s spoken without malice or negative intent…do not let it go beyond that point.

Stand up, speak up and defend.

STOP IT

Terry
March 3, 2015