The Bible says gossip is nothing less than ‘meddling in other people’s business’. Author Jon Zens said: ‘I have watched friends and…families suffer untold pain because of gossip…[the] information someone dumps on you without your consent and consent of the person [involved]. [It] can be true, partially true, or completely false. It can be motivated by good intentions, but it always contains negative…information…[and colours] people’s perceptions of [someone] unjustly. The person being torn down is out of the loop [because] talebearers usually avoid speaking directly to the one they are demeaning.’

Christians are not immune to gossip, and sadly, there are too many stories of people who have been damaged and hurt by church gossip. So let’s resolve right now to say no to gossip, and set the standard by evaluating people based on our own experience with them, not on what somebody else says. Second-hand information is notoriously unreliable and misleading, and it violates Christ’s command to ‘treat people the same way you want them to treat you’ (Matthew 7:12 NASB). If you’ve ever been hurt by gossip, you’ll understand the wisdom of those words. Rumours and innuendos might seem innocent and come subtly, but even if someone isn’t gossiping out of malice, their motive is irrelevant. Spreading gossip defies walking in love and looking ‘for the best’ in others (1 Corinthians 13:7 MSG).

A.W. Tozer said, ‘Never pass anything on…that will hurt [somebody]. “Love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8 NIV), and the talebearer has no place in God’s favour. If you know something that would hurt one of God’s children…take it out…bury it and say, “Here lies in peace the story about my brother.” God will take care of it.’

What Now?

If you become the recipient of a piece of gossip today, make the decision to let its journey end with you by refusing to pass it on.