Words have power of life and death- Gossip

Gossip, secretly sneaking into the moral fabric of our society under the disguise of the “cancel culture” ideology, making it o.k. to take someone down because of a difference of opinion…Is this ok with you? Are you one of them? Be aware of whether your words build someone up or tear them down…

Definition of Gossip
Noun:
Rumor or talk of a personal, sensational, or intimate nature
A person who habitually spreads intimate or private rumors
(could be private, personal facts and/or lies)
Trivial, chatty talk or writing or badmouthing
Verb: To engage in or spread gossip
To steal another person’s reputation
To hurt another person through lies
To make themselves look better – ego
To have power over you – control
Definition of Slander -The action or crime of making a false spoken statement damaging to a person’s reputation

Gossip opens the door to slander…ruining someone…in today’s terms…cancelling them…
If we are honest, we’ve all experienced gossip in some way or another. Whether we were
• talked about
• actively listened to another person being slandered
• or shared things we weren’t supposed to
Gossip has a way of sneaking itself into our relationship with self and others.

“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.” (Proverbs 18:21)

John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible
Proverbs 18:21 – interpretation
Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue
Of witnesses, according to the testimony they bear of
(We are held accountable for the words we speak and the damage we do with the power of our words)
• judges, according to the sentences they pass
• teachers,preachers according to the doctrines they teach or preach
• sponsors, according to the guidance and advice they give
• counselors, according the guidance and counseling they give
• all men, who, by their well or ill-will speaking, bring death or life to themselves and others
• Some, by their tongues, by the too free use of them, or falsehoods they utter, are the cause of death to themselves and others
• and some, by their silence
• or by their prudent speech and prevalent intercession, secure or obtain life for themselves and others
• yea, judgment at the last day will proceed according to a man’s words,
“By thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned”, ( Matthew 12:37 ) ;
The tongue is the instrument either of a great deal of good,
or of a great deal of evil;
and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof;
that delight to be talkative; that love to use the tongue, whether in a good or in a bad way, shall accordingly be recompensed;
shall enjoy the advantages or disadvantages arising from it.
Remember, it is ok to share your beliefs, experience, strength and hope with others if they are open to your opinion…
Remember to share with the right motive…
Remember, we are held accountable for what we say and do…
When we say or do the wrong thing, immediately make amends and stop the act and correct the false statements with the truth…

Gossiping and Slander: Two of the sins, Jesus took from us when I went through the Holy Door
My Special Year Holy spiritual pilgrimage (camino) through Spain was to focus on my spiritual beliefs and the mistakes I made (i.e. sins) along life’s past journey. The other part of my mission was to pray, intercede and walk spiritually for those who choose to walk with me spiritually.   
I believe in intercessory prayer. That is why I choose to do this for me, my loved ones, my friends, and all of you that chose to spiritually walk with me.  
Two of those sins, which we do most of the time are gossip and slander, which get very little attention.  That is why I think this is a good idea to learn about them and become aware of their power,
so we can work on it and become a brighter light of hope and love. 
Gossip is a sin that’s all too easy to commit. The desire to share a secret, vent about a grievance, or get another person to hear our side, can often get the best of us. 
Yet, we see throughout the Bible that gossip is no small offense. 
Not only does the Lord condemn the action, 
He lists it amongst things that are an abomination!

If we are honest, we’ve all experienced gossip in some way or another.
Whether we were talked about, actively listened to another person being slandered, or shared things we weren’t supposed to, gossip has a way of sneaking itself into our minds and spirits and into our relationships with self and others.
In my personal life, I have seen how misguided conversations can ruin friendships, family bonds, and even ruin churches.

Even more so, in a day and age that centers around technology, there’s been numerous instances of how slander and internet gossip has become so intense that people have committed suicide from the pain caused. Although it’s not easy, we must be aware of how our tongue can wreak havoc on the world around us.
However, it is clear that what we say in these virtual public spaces, internet, facebook, Instagram or Twitter, will undoubtedly reflect who we are and the God we serve. Are we sharing words of encouragement and hope or are we sharing words which encourage despair, lack of hope and judgment? Which do you choose to share? It takes discernment and a “pause before we post or re-tweet something”.

When we choose to post in ways that draw attention to ourselves and purposefully cause frustration, or lead others to stumble, we must ask ourselves if God is pleased by how we choose to use our platform.
Quite simply, we must learn to pause before we post.
Nine Social Media Habits – we need to become aware of and break
Pretending Perfection: If we are honest, none of us have it “all together”, however, many of us, with or without knowing it, portray ourselves without blemish. From how we share our posts about family to our greatest victories, it can appear disingenuous. Truthfully, this approach of perfectly polished pictures and preplanned moments can create a sense of comparison for some viewers.
• It is not what you share, it is about being real and the way your words or the words of others you share via the internet or re-tweet can come across to others.
• When someone gets upset about what you wrote or posted, it may have triggered a trauma or issue in their spirit which could be an opportunity for them to grow.
Undercover jabbing – many times instead of having a conversation with the person or group that hurt you, we end up doing it in front of others, either in a group of people or online. A better principle is to go and tell him or her alone and hopefully, they will hear you and thus chance for conflict resolution.
This works if the person is not a bully..But bullies do not want resolution, they want control over you, which includes, getting you upset and out of balance, which could mean, making you cry

Complaining – Grumbling online should be avoided. Be careful not to be complaining all the time. Seeking prayer for issues is different. Facebook is not a diary…
Attention seeking over-sharing – seeking too much attention for our accomplishments and instead sharing what God has completed in our lives. Try to be a beacon of hope to those who are lonely and lost.
Internet Bullying – select few gang up against anyone who does not live up to their values, beliefs and political views (virtual assaults, private messaging, name-calling and “sending people to hell”.
Reserve the right to disengage from every conversation that because they “do not have ears to hear. “ If what you say has a “condescending tone”, practice your deliverance until you get rid of this tone. If you are angry, pause and wait until you have let go of the anger before responding

Sharing Vulgar Posts – If your post includes cursing, nudity, obscene stories, foolish talk, coarse jokes or crude humor… make a choice not to share. What you think is funny, may offend someone else.
Spreading Gossip – never share another person’s business, in person or virtually. Are we really sure what is truth or slander? Share instead lessons we have learned from your life situations or choose silence.
Arguing about political and Racial topics openly online – or even to people of another political party. In today’s cancel culture, you can give a control freak and or a bully a reason to bad-mouth you and take you down for the pleasure of their ego. It can also be a person who is jealous who using this as an excuse to gossip about you. How sick is that? If someone is always confronting you on facebook or on messaging or keep calling you, you always have the option of “unfollowing them, blocking them or unfriend them. Do not let it continue. This can be verbal abuse….

Refusing to share your faith, your spirituality in Jesus because others may take offense. I have found that trying to force someone else to believe as you do, does not go over well on social media or via text or via conversations.
We all want to find our own way in life. I believe it is important to share your spiritual journey, so others have an opportunity to understand the advantages and benefits of following a spiritual path.
I share my story on how I came to believe and the spiritual lessons I have learned along the way, to be an example of hope and an example to keep persevering through the storms and not give up.
Your path is not my path. I have no right to tell you which way to go. You can choose where you want to go and what you want to believe. I believe we are just given the opportunity to walk along side of people for a short time or for a long time.

I want to stay grateful for all those who walked with me for awhile, even though you had to leave to go another path, whether it was dying or deciding to go on another path without me. Thanks for the time you did spend with me in the good and the bad times. I learned and grew in both the good times and the bad times. Thank you all for loving me. Esther Mae