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Jan 16, 2025 18:00pm

What Now?: Gossip

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The following comes from the devotional book “What Now?” by Ashley Akers. To learn more, go to www.whatnowdevo.com.

Gossip

Gossip is a hard and emotional topic for me. Let me begin by hanging my head while I admit to having gossiped about people. This is not something that I am proud of, but ashamed. I have hurt many people by gossiping. It kills their spirit and ruins their reputation. I find myself wanting to gossip when I have been hurt by a person. If I talk about them, I temporarily feel better by convincing myself that I did nothing wrong and it was all their fault. But it is wrong of me to even think that, for more than one reason. It is not of God. I need to take responsibility for my words. I truly don’t like gossip, but sometimes I find myself doing it anyway. Before I know it, the damage has already been done. Gossip has ruined friendships in my past, which has forced me to learn the power of my tongue the hard way. Proverbs 18:21 confirms this by saying,

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

Paul addressed gossip in the church in 2 Corinthians 12:20.

For I fear that perhaps when I come I may find you not as I wish, and that you may find me not as you wish—that perhaps there may be quarreling, jealousy, anger, hostility, slander, gossip, conceit, and disorder.

Paul’s concern was that the ways of the people of Corinth had been brought into the church. He did not want this for the Christians and wanted them to be set apart from culture. These negative characteristics come naturally to people, which the Word describes as our “flesh.” In our lives, we bear fruit—fruit of the Spirit or of the flesh. Let’s look in Galatians 5:22-24 to see what the fruit of the Spirit looks like.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Fruit of the Spirit	Fruit of the Flesh
Love	Slander
Joy	Jealousy
Peace	Quarreling
Patience	Hostility
Kindness/Goodness	Conceit
Faithfulness	Gossip
Gentleness	Anger
Self-Control	Disorder

Looking at the chart, you will see the drastic differences between bearing the fruit of the Spirit and bearing the fruit of the flesh, by comparing the two scriptures. There are no gray areas. The closer I am in my relationship with God, the more I display the fruit of the Spirit in my actions. Not in my own strength, but His. I will encourage you to not get caught up in gossip when emotions are high. It is hard to hold your tongue and it takes discipline. But it works out for the best, as said in Proverbs 26:20 NLT.

Fire goes out without wood, and quarrels disappear
when gossip stops.

Reflection Questions

1. How has gossip ruined relationships in your life? Be specific.

2. Looking at the chart, which fruit do you display in your life?