GOSSIP! The Social Pandemic!
Sunday’s Monday
GOSSIP! The Social Pandemic!
Most of us don’t think of GOSSIP and social media as being together but sadly it is a troubled relationship. Think about Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube as being major supporters of negativity. Reason being, we mindlessly share post without first researching their validity and post comments that should never be thought. My pastor used to publicly rebuke some things I was sharing on Facebook as he would check them for truth, and they were false. Something so easy to do and I failed to check because it simply sounded good to me. This is gossip, plain and simple! As corny as it may seem, I felt God gave me this to share; “God’s Omnipotent, Spirit, Saddens, Inside, Pride!” Which is exactly what gossip is, us acting out of pride to be the first to share something, usually useless information that’s not helpful and at times even hurtful for others. We find within Proverbs 21:24 (NLT), Mockers are proud and haughty; they act with boundless arrogance.
To help you understand a little more about gossip it will help to get a little better understanding of arrogance. Allow me to tell you of how arrogant I “used to be” 15 to 20 years ago. I had a God-awful job that came with an even worse female supervisor. Early one morning (and I am not proud of this) this woman was screaming and cursing about something that happened the day before. When I walked in, first thing she did was ask me a questions in which I truthfully answered. She didn’t like my answers and immediately ask if I was lying. Now, this ticked me off big time, so I gave her a bit of Loftin wisdom. I explained that there are only a couple of reasons why people lie and that is usually to protect self, to attain advancement or impress someone, to which neither would fit this situation. Firstly; I don’t need protecting (I didn’t do it), secondly; I’m not looking to move up (I’m now looking to move out) and thirdly; lying to impress would insinuate a since of respect and care, to which I assure you that is not the case as I have never liked you! I emptied my mind through my mouth! Later that day God gave me Proverbs 21:23 (NLT), Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. My first thought was, NOW YOU TELL ME!
I was arrogant to this woman and she retaliated with rumors and lies which eventually (after a lot of prayer) God opened a door to a much greater Job. However, God taught me during those tough days that gossip is not just spreading unfounded rumors, it is starting false stories or in the case of social media it’s called false news about someone or something. In most cases it is very vindictive, meant to hurt or decimate someone’s character. Actually, gossip is never innocent and in all cases is meant to promote a feeling and desires far above that of others. We find in James 3:5 (NLT), In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. Sadly, in today’s world there is far too few Smoky the Bear’s and way too many arsonists!
We each are individually responsible and will be held accountable for our tongue and what it brings forth from our mouth. Paul warns us in Colossians 3:8 (NLT), But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. There will be a day of judgement for each of us! Matthew speaks to this in Matthew 12:36 (NLT), And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. However, God has again given us a door to exit from this ungodly behavior which is explained in Ephesians 4:15 (NLT), Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. To quote my pastor, “I’ve got good news and bad news for you. The bad news is, nothing changes until you change; the good news is you can change (with God’s help)!”
My prayer for this week is taken from Hebrews and I ask God to open the hearts and cleanse the minds of everyone that reads it. God is the God of restoration and reconciliation which made and makes a way for us to remain in Him. Father God I ask you to accept my petition to help us abide in this morsel from your holy word. Hebrews 10:22-25 (NLT), 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. 24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Amen
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK BY BEING A BLESSING TO OTHERS!
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