GOSSIP - KILL IT!
Apr 19, 2025
Photo taken by Ben White from Unsplash
Proverbs 26.20-22
GOSSIP - KILL IT!
"Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down."
GOSSIP IS IDLE, MALICIOUS AND scandalous talk. No one is free from it. At any time, we may be its originator, its receiver or its transmitter. Most of the time, we view it as harmless chatter, until someone is deeply hurt by what we say.
The Bible concedes that gossip is a delightful pastime. "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels" (v.22). When people gather, they often find camaraderie in speaking bad about someone they all don't like, e.g. a difficult boss or an unpopular colleague. But what starts off as an innocent "get-it-all-off-your-chest" session sometimes ends up with a lot of half-truths, insinuations and lies — not only about the person in question but about everybody else!
Gossip passed from mouth to ear also has a savouriness of its own. Its fascination lies in its supposed secrecy ("No one else knows...") and speculative nature ("It's not confirmed yet, but…) Those who have heard enough of gossip know it is all hocus-pocus. Gossip is never secret; everyone in the office knows about it. And what is rumoured on the basis of hear-say often turns out to be false or at least an exaggeration of the truth.
Gossip has a nature that is both penetrative and pervasive. It sinks deep into the hearer (v.22b), and spreads far and wide to all (16.27b). As such, the harm done is extensive and often irreparable. The Chinese have a saying, "A word rashly spoken cannot be brought back by a chariot and four horses." When the tale-bearer betrays confidences, reveals secrets, misrepresents facts, he fosters suspicion and destroys relationships (11.13; 16.28). No wonder gossip is compared to a fire, spreading rapidly and destroying everything in its path.
How then do we stop gossip? The answer is simple: fire cannot burn without the wood, so remove the wood. The only way to pre-empt the harm caused by gossip is firstly, not to listen to gossip, and secondly, not to pass it on. Remember, the one who gossips to you can also gossip about you.
When we hear something unpleasant about someone, we should always put two questions to it. Is it true? We should never believe anything bad about anyone unless we are absolutely certain it is true. Is it necessary? We should never tell it to anyone unless we are absolutely certain it will help, and not harm.
Do I breed gossip or kill it?
