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A Rumor I Heard About Gossip

During the sermon last week I gave a brief definition of gossip. That definition was correct, but because I made the statement in passing it probably could use a little elaboration.

I defined gossip like this: Gossip is not a lie, but rather the truth spoken in a way that is neither loving nor helpful.

The word gossip comes from the Greek word psithyristas, which sounds a lot like a disease you need to get a shot to cure. It may be just as bad. The definition for that word is: derogatory information about someone that is offered in a tone of confidentiality; a rumormonger; a tale-bearer.

I also said that Christians sometimes couch their gossip in the form of a prayer request. This may be hard to discern, because we have to sense whether the person offering the prayer request truly cares about the person’s well being.

So here are a few questions that can help us avoid gossip:
• Do I really care about this person?
• Do I truly desire to see them helped and will the sharing of this information help them?
• Have I ventured beyond what is necessary to say in order for them to be helped?
• Do I simply want to share all I know so that people will like me?

These are not easy questions to ask ourselves. But they may help us to love one another better and that is how the world will know that we belong to Christ - when we love one another.

Love In Christ,
Pastor Mitch

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