Rumor Has It …
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Not long ago, a coworker crept into my office and quietly closed my door. Judging by the look on her face, I knew she was about to give me the latest scoop on something big. She began to divulge some unsavory details about a person whom I'd always thought was happily married. But apparently this colleague had been involved in multiple covert affairs.
I was shocked by this revelation—and should have ended the conversation then and there. But unfortunately, I didn't. My eyes grew big as saucers as my coworker began naming names. But what was so titillating in the moment has left me full of regret. Now I'm faced with some very negative information about a person I once admired. And I don't even know if the accusations are true!
Gossip—that chatty talk about other people's intimate matters—is a favorite pastime around many office lunch tables and water coolers. If asked point-blank, most of us would say gossip is a bad habit, yet our culture treats it lightly. Everyday we can access websites, watch television shows, or read tabloids to get the latest scandal scoop on celebrities and politicians. Some websites even send you an e-mail alert on late-breaking gossip. In our voyeuristic world of reality TV, being privy to intimate details of a person's life is socially acceptable.
But while we may innocently "dish," "get the goods," or hear "the dirt" on someone, God doesn't take gossip lightly. He says our tongues are set on fire by hell (James 3:6). He commands us not to gossip. For example, Proverbs 4:24 reminds us to keep corrupt talk from our lips. And God doesn't want us listening to gossip, either. Hearing gossip is about as bad as spreading it, since you can't erase the negative words you've heard about a person. Proverbs 26:22 says, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts."
GOSSIP JUST PLAIN HURTS
Simply put, gossip hurts people. When my dearest friend and coworker went through a divorce, many of our colleagues came to me for information. It was the "juiciest" story to rock my office in a long time. Married only six months, my friend's husband moved to another country, came back for a day to file for divorce, and then left again. Discussing her hurt and raw emotions with others seemed unthinkable. Furthermore, I ran the risk of circulating rumors. Human resources specialist Cassie Dibiase, owner of Resources and Results Consulting in Houston, Texas, points out, "Think back to the playground, when someone spread untrue tales around the schoolyard. They were hurtful, unproductive, and damaged friendships. Playground rules still apply. The only difference is professional reputations are taken more seriously, and the stakes are higher."
Originally published in: Today's Christian Woman, 2005, November/December, Vol. 27, Issue 6, Page 66
Related Topics:
Conversation, Positive, Coworkers, Gossip, Mouth, Guarding, Office Conflict, Restraint, Rumors, Tongue, Taming
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Tracy Pace
Great topic- affects us all! The Bible says in Proverbs 17:9 'He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends'...and so many times is gossip mentioned in the Bible as to be clear it's a real threat to good faith.
Theresa
Great article, and so true. It helped to remind me to keep my mouth in check... in all areas of where my mouth goes. The saying "sticks and stones break my bone but words will never hurt me" is the biggest lie I heard. Words deliver life and death, the power of the tounge can be mightier then the sword... If people would only realize that words would change and so would the world!
Marian
Thank you for this informative article. many a times i have seen myself gossiping for the sake of it. The article has made me to watch my lips each time i am involved in a conversation. I know it is going to be hard for me but i know with practice everyday and God's grace i will succeed in not gossiping
Laurie
It is truly unfortunate that Satan's very earthly tools of division, gossip & slander, are not just limited to middle school cafeterias and office coffee breaks. Many are blown away when they find these behaviors alive and well within a church. Often, by the time someone discovers they've been slandered, it is often too late and the damage is already irreparable. By then it's "their" word against the victim's. Our church currently has a minister who lacks any leadership skills and she's quite content to go along with the status quo. Those in positions of power within our church have grown increasingly brazen and don't hesitate to lord their power over others. Gossip and slander are rampant. As a result, many members have stopped going and financial support has dropped greatly. Based on the way my family's been treated , I'm pretty sure we've been gossiped about, though we don't know about what. Now we are attending a different church and are seriously considering becoming members.
jumoyin
I work in a christian educational institution, but it is indeed saddening to admit that it is here that i have experienced the highest and worst and most malignant forms of gossip. I have seen gossip embarras people, break down thier marriages, eliminate the organisation's confidence inthe subject of the gossip- infact, every negative effect you write about in your article. Worse still, nothing to my knowledge has ever been done officially to address this insidious poison. I suddenly feel like preaching a sermon onthe topic inour chapel or circulating your article to every member of staff to read and repent about. Thank you for reminding me again of this issue, because in truth, in this work environment i have found myself slipping repeatedly into the saucer-eyed, mouth agape recipient of the latest scoop even when i often chide others for doing the same. God help us all!
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