“Gossip
Offers Scandalous Sensationalism Injuring People! (G.O.S.S.I.P)”
By Ramesh
C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard
April
17,
2008
Editors Note: The devotional has a background song which can be heard if you use Internet
Explorer.
SCRIPTURE:
“Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip; liars
pay close attention to slander.” (Proverbs 17:4, NLT)
Observations:
I asked myself what kinds of people are mentioned
in this verse?
1. Wrongdoers
2. Liars
I decided to focus on point 1!
Observations:
I asked myself what is the action of wrongdoers?
Wrongdoers eagerly listen to gossip!
What does ‘eagerly’ mean?
“Full of enthusiasm and impatience: expressing enthusiastic interest and
expectation or an impatient desire to do something!”
What does ‘listen’ mean?
“Pay attention: to pay attention to something and take it into
account!”
What does gossip mean?
“Spread rumors: to tell people rumors or personal or intimate facts
about other people, especially maliciously!”
(Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2004 Microsoft
Corporation. All rights reserved.)
So a wrongdoer is full of enthusiastic interest and expectation to pay
attention to tell people rumors or personal or intimate facts about
other people, especially maliciously.
Interpretation:
What is the intent of gossip?
The intent of gossip is usually to spoil the reputation of another
person behind their back whether it is slander (spoken) or libel
(written) when what is revealed is not the truth but done with a
malicious intent. It does not always have to be false but can be the
truth revealed to damage the reputation of someone else behind their
back.
The intent of gossip can also be to boost one’s own self-esteem up by
tearing other people down without dealing with the shortcomings of the
person’s own lives.
Application:
What should our role be when it comes to gossip?
Gossip about other people should not even be listened to. It is
wrongdoers who listen to gossip and when we are a follower of Christ we
ought to listen to the teachings of Christ and His Word on living. As a
follower of Christ, our instruction manual for life living is the Bible,
the Word of God.
The Word of God gives us wisdom on how we ought to live our lives and
speaks against gossip in at least 14 verses between the Old and New
Testament mentioning it with other vices.
“Their lives became full of every kind of
wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception,
malicious behavior, and gossip.” (Romans 1:29, NLT)
I ask you now dear friend, what does gossip do to
you?
Dear friend, gossip has a magnetic attraction to pull people to
itself and have people cling to it. Once you are involved in gossip, it
will be hard to pull away whether you are the giver of the gossip or the
recipient of the gossip.
If you want to follow Christ and His Word, gossip will keep you from
doing that because it is contrary to the Word of God. Anything in the
Word of God that we should avoid is for our own good to become the
person the Lord wants us to be.
Having an interest in gossip will take you to websites that will draw
you in like a magnet while tarnishing your reputation. Christians should
not even entertain gossip websites or gossip dealings because then our
own reputation as a follower of Christ can be tarnished because we are
joining in the act of gossiping one another.
“Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will
never regain your good reputation.” (Proverbs 20:10, NLT)
Gossip is so sinful that it is mentioned as one of the things that can
prevent us from having fellowship with the Lord and be in His presence.
“Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may
enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives
and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who
refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their
friends.” (Psalm 15:1-3, NLT)
Here it talks about ‘refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors’.
Your neighbor could very well be someone that you consider an enemy but
that still does not make it right to gossip against that person or harm
that person because the Word of the Lord speaks against it friend.
Sadly, there are websites out there being promoted by people who want to
make a living from allowing others to post gossip material so they can
have thousands of readers and hits. Majority of the time it is to spread
rumors & hatred with maliciousness.
Not everything mentioned on these sites maybe false nonetheless by
engaging in a site like that, people are putting themselves in a place
to harm the lives of others knowingly or unknowingly unless they are
defending people they are gossiped against. These kinds of sites
especially could affect the lives of young students who care for their
standing among their peers.
You do not want to be part of that if you have been already. You want to
be the solution to build people up and not tear them down. If your
purpose is to be on those sites, it should be to build up those you know
that have been gossiped against by speaking on their behalf if you know
about them in a good light. Christ wants us to have the attitude of
building each other up and not tearing each other down whether we know a
person or not.
“If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will
please God, and others will approve of you, too. So then, let us aim for
harmony in the church and try to build each other up.” (Romans 14:18-19,
NLT)
“We should help others do what is right and build
them up in the Lord.” (Romans 15:2, NLT)
Gossip can make you sad, angry, or even upset if you live your life for
other human beings approval than you do for the Lord’s approval. It is a
natural tendency for anyone to want to be loved and liked by other
people instead of being gossiped about.
Friend, you may be the recipient of malicious gossip that could be true
or is full of lies. I want you to know friend, whatever is spoken in
slander or written in libel about you, you can take it to the Lord in
prayer and leave it in His precious hands. He will take care of it.
Know that you can come to Jesus with all your problems and He will find
a solution to it in His timing. I would not feel like I am
appropriate to talk about how to deal with gossip if I have not faced it
myself.
Friend, I have faced gossip and it is meant to tarnish my reputation
as a follower of Christ but I stand on the promises of Jesus and what He
wants me to do.
I will continue to show the love of Christ whether I am working on campus,
running
http://www.pittsburghstandard.com by covering Greek Life and
non-Greek Life events that students want to see, or taking classes as a
means to reach students with the Gospel of Jesus Christ directly or
indirectly.
My signature verse has been, “But life is worth
nothing unless I use it to do the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus,
the work of telling others about God’s mighty goodness and love!” (Acts
20:24, NLT)
Whatever they have written or said about me, they are entitled to their
opinion but I would be ashamed of myself if my actions and response
dishonored the Lord.
So, I have been there and experienced gossip firsthand but I don’t
even waste my time defending stuff written about me because my Lord and
Savior knows my heart and the Truth.
I share what has happened to me to let you know that I have been there
and know what Christ Jesus has done for me through His Word. I share my
experience with you praying that it would be helpful to those in a
similar situation.
What people have gossiped about you maybe lighter or worse than what
has happened to me but Jesus is still the same yesterday, today, and
tomorrow and still reaches out!
It is surprising that this gossip information about me came to light
after I shared, ‘What do you do with your T.E.S.T.I.M.O.N.Y?’! Some of
the things shocked me and appalled me but I am used to negative things
said about me because of being vocal about my faith in Christ, about
ethical issues involving SGB, etc.
Through it all, I know Jesus is my refuge and strength. With the Lord
on our side it should not phase us. All the gossiping could be like the
giant Goliath but deliverance is on the way just as the shepherd David
found deliverance in the Lord.
If you are a follower of Christ and speak out for the things of Christ,
you could be reviled against and persecuted through a means such as
gossip by those that hate what you stand for. They can even take truths
about yourself and twist them to make them lies. Majority of the time
they are all lies to tarnish your reputation. But remember the words of
Jesus:
“When you are reviled and persecuted and lied
about because you are my followers---wonderful! Be happy about it! Be
very glad for a tremendous reward awaits you up in heaven….” (Matthew
5:11-12, TLB)
Right after that, Jesus makes a profound statement:
“You are the world’s seasoning, to make it
tolerable. If you lose your flavor, what will happen to the world? And
you yourselves will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless.
You are the world’s light---a city on a hill, glowing in the night for
all to see. Don’t hide your light! Let it shine for all; let your good
deeds glow for all to see, so that they will praise your heavenly
Father.” (Matthew 5:13-16, TLB)
It would be easy for someone who feels reviled and persecuted, however
the means, to entertain hateful attitudes and responses but that is
exactly what Jesus does not want His followers to do so Jesus made that
profound statement about the danger of losing their flavor to season the
world as a follower of Christ.
Those that speak out or write against you should be loved and not hated.
Anyone can love those who love them but we are to love those who see us
as their enemy. For when others see us as an enemy, they would love to
tear us down and tarnish our reputation. It is those we need to love.
“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your
neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for
those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true
children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the
evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even
corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your
friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.
But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
(Matthew 5:43-48, NLT)
“Do what is right; then if men speak against you,
calling you evil names, they will become ashamed of themselves for
falsely accusing you when you have only done what is good. Remember, if
God wants you to suffer, it is better to suffer for doing good than for
doing wrong!” (1 Peter 3:16-17, TLB)
“Be happy if you are cursed and insulted for being
a Christian, for when that happens the Spirit of God will come upon you
with great glory. Don’t let me hear of your suffering for murdering or
stealing or making trouble or being a busybody and prying into other
people’s affairs. But it is no shame to suffer for being a Christian.
Praise God for the privilege of being in Christ’s family and being
called by His wonderful name!” (1 Peter 4:14-16, TLB)
“Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t snap back at
those who say unkind things about you. Instead, pray for God’s help for
them, for we are to be kind to others, and God will bless us for it.” (1
Peter 3:9, TLB)
Friend, I have been there facing gossip and will probably continue to
face gossip about myself but Jesus is there through it all and is by my
side. Jesus saw what was happening and allowed it for a reason.
“Since the Lord is directing our steps, why try to
understand everything that happens along the way!” (Proverbs 24:20, TLB)
Friend, so turn to Jesus whatever you are facing and remember those that
write about you or speak about you negatively, you don't know what they
are going through. Maybe they need someone to tear up to make them feel
good even though it is not right. Whether you know the person or don't
know the person who gossiped you, pray for them because there is power
in prayer.
More than anything remember Jesus who faced gossip and ridicule because there were
those that hated Him for what He stood for and preached. Yet, Jesus had
nothing to be ashamed of because Jesus was doing what honors Father God.
When our actions are honoring to God, it does not matter what other
people write or say but when they are dishonoring God, we need to search
ourselves and ask the Lord’s help to change.
To change, we need to first acknowledge that we are a sinner and fall
short of the glory of God and need what God offers us through Christ. We
need the cleansing precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross to cleanse
us of all our sin. For while we were yet sinners, Jesus died on the
cross for you and me and came back to life on the third day to save us.
Yes friend, whatever Jesus did, it was because He loves you. Jesus died
to make Salvation available to you and me. You may have been the
giver of gossip or the recipient of gossip but Christ wants to transform
your life and give you a new beginning.
You may already believe you are a Christian but
can you be sure if you are to die now, you would go to heaven?
Friend, Salvation is by grace through faith so when you acknowledge
Jesus Christ as your Lord and Personal Savior realizing He alone can
deliver you and set you free from the ‘bondage of sin that will keep you
from Heaven and from living an abundant life here on earth‘, He will
come and save you as you confess and repent of your sin. Come as you are
to Jesus and let Him take care of you and give you a new life in Christ
where you can be assured of your salvation. Gossip offers scandalous
sensationalism injuring people but Gospel offers salvation proclaiming
Emmanuel’s love!
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, you know all about gossip and spoke against it in your Word
because you also know the damage it can do to people’s lives injuring
them. Help us Oh Lord never to take part in gossip but be someone who
helps others who are gossiped about to build them up instead of tearing
them down. And Lord, those that have gossiped about us or will gossip
about us, help us to love them and pray for blessings in their lives
because that is what you want us to do. Thank you for who you are Jesus
and for working in our lives to transform us. We love you Jesus and help
us to live for you always no matter what people say about you or us.
Thank you for being our refuge and strength. I pray right now for the
one who is injured because of things said about them that you would
rescue them and heal them Oh Lord. Touch their hearts in a mighty
powerful way and if they do not know about you, help them to come to
know you as their Lord and personal Savior! Thank you for hearing and
answering us. Thank you so much Jesus! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
"Gossip Offers Scandalous Sensationalism
Injuring People!" (G.O.S.S.I.P)/"What does G.O.S.S.I.P do to
you?"
Now is the time of Salvation friend! If you do
not know Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior or want to rededicate
your life to the Lord right now this very moment, won't you pray this
prayer with me?
Dear
Jesus, I do not know everything about you. I still have a lot of
questions but I heard how you heal people. I need your spiritual healing
and need you to transplant yourself into my life. I am so sorry
for my sin. My sin has separated me from you. There is nothing I can do
on my own to earn your forgiveness but you give it to me in your grace.
Thank you so much Jesus. I now come and say, I am so sorry for my all
sin. I confess to you my sin and repent of my sin. Help me please Jesus
and transform my life in your timing. Please forgive me of my sin and
cleanse me with your cleansing blood. Wash me and I will be whiter than
snow. Thank you so much Jesus. Please come into my heart Jesus and make
my heart your home. Live in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve
you the rest of the days of my life. Thank you Jesus for coming into my
heart and making my heart your home! Thank you Jesus for living in me
and helping me to live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my
life! Thank you for your forgiveness and grace. I gotta tell somebody
what you did for me Jesus. Before I even do that, I acknowledge you as
my Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus for being my Lord and
Personal Savior! Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and answered
me! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Friend, if you have prayed this
prayer and meant it in your heart, you are a new creation in Christ and
all old things are passed away and everything has become new! You may
feel something or may not but don’t base it on feelings but base your
new life in Christ on the promises of our Savior who will never leave
you nor forsake you! Amen!
Spend time in His word and let the Lord
speak to you! Start out in the Gospel of John! You can also check out
the Gospel of Mark which are the devotionals I have been going through.
Learn from Jesus through study and prayer. Also find yourself a church
fellowship and a college fellowship you can be part of where you can be
part of a community of believers to supplement your own walk with the
Lord. Let it be a Bible-believing and Bible-breathing church! Believe in
Bible Live Eternally!
Feel free to email me at
reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com if you want to meet to study the Bible,
pray with, talk about Spiritual issues or whatever is on your mind! My
number is 412-720-4579
"This is my
work and I can do it only because Christ's mighty energy is at work
within me." (Colossians 1:29, TLB)
Love in Christ,
Ramesh
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' I AM ' Series
Archives:
What kind of L.I.G.H.T do you follow? (Dec 13,
07, 10:09 a.m.)
"What kind of B.R.E.A.D do you eat?" (Dec 08,
07, 10:10 a.m.)
"Who is your S.H.E.P.H.E.R.D?"
(June 30,
06)
Gospel of Mark Archives:
Mark 1:1:
"What does the G.O.S.P.E.L mean to you?" (Jan
15, 08, 1:15 p.m.)
Mark 1:1-4: "How
seriously do you T.E.S.T.I.F.Y about prophesy?" (Jan
12, 08, 11:18 p.m.)
Mark 1:5-8:
"Who do you P.O.I.N.T to?" (Jan 16, 08,
8:48 a.m.)
Mark 1:9:
How will you take a S.T.A.N.D? (Jan 17, 08,
11:21 a.m.)
Mark 1:9-11:
"How is your loving P.R.A.I.S.E?" (Jan 18, 08,
8:53 a.m.)
Mark 1:12-13: "How
do you handle T.E.M.P.T.A.T.I.O.N?" (Jan 19,
08, 12:27 p.m.)
Mark 1:14-15:
How do you handle T.I.M.E given to you? (Jan
21, 08, 1:31 p.m.)
Mark 1:16-18:
"What kind of P.R.O.F.E.S.S.I.O.N are you in?" (Jan
26, 08, 10:22 a.m.)
Mark
1:19-20:
"Without having to P.R.O.C.R.A.S.T.I.N.A.T.E, what should you do?"
(Jan 29, 08,
10:44 a.m.)
Mark
1:20-22:
"How do you rate in the B.U.S.I.N.E.S.S of Jesus?" (Jan
30, 08, 11:29 a.m.)
Mark
1:20-22:
"Whose T.E.A.C.H.I.N.G.S do you follow?" (Jan
31, 08, 11:52 a.m.)
Mark
1:23-28:
"What C.A.P.T.I.V.I.T.Y are you facing today?" (Feb
01, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
Mark 4:3-20:
"What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb
02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
Mark 1:29-31:
"Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G?" (Feb 05,
08, 11:44 a.m.)
Mark 1:32-34:
"Where do you need an A.N.S.W.E.R?" (Feb 06,
08, 11:16 a.m.)
Mark 1:35-39:
"Where do you give your S.O.L.I.T.A.R.Y time to the Lord?" (Feb
07, 08, 11:41 a.m.)
Mark 1:40-42:
"Where do you need to be C.L.E.A.N?" (Feb 09,
08, 11:00 a.m.)
Mark 1:43-45:
"What do your actions C.A.U.S.E?" (Feb 11, 08,
9:23 a.m.)
MARK CHAPTER 2:
Mark 2:1-2:
"What do you do with your P.O.P.U.L.A.R.I.T.Y?" (Feb
12, 08, 9:52 a.m.)
Mark 2:2-5:
"What kind of F.R.I.E.N.D are you?" (Feb
13, 08, 11:49 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"Where does P.A.R.A.L.Y.S.I.S take hold of you?" (Feb
15, 08, 7:42 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"What are you thinking in your M.I.N.D?" (Feb
16, 08, 11:08 a.m.)
Mark 2:5-12:
"What do you represent by your A.C.T.I.O.N.S?" (Feb
18, 08, 8:23 a.m.)
Mark 2:13-15:
"Where are you looking for A.C.C.E.P.T.A.N.C.E?" (Feb
19, 08, 11:22 a.m.)
Mark
2:15-17:
"Who do you I.N.V.I.T.E to Jesus?" (Feb 20,
08, 9:57 a.m.)
Mark
2:18-20:
"When do you F.A.S.T?" (Feb 21, 08,
9:32 a.m.)
Mark 2:21-22:
"How do you see your L.I.F.E?" (Feb 22, 08,
9:56 a.m.)
Mark 2:23-28:
"What kind of L.E.A.D.E.R will you be? (Feb
23, 08, 10:46 a.m.)
Mark 2:23-28:
"What does the S.A.B.B.A.T.H mean to you?" (Feb
25, 08, 10:46 a.m.)
CHAPTER 3:
Mark 3:1-6:"Whose
N.E.E.D.S do you meet?" (Feb 26, 08,
9:54 a.m.)
Mark 3:7-8:
"What is your I.M.P.A.C.T?" (Feb 27, 08,
8:17 a.m.)
Mark 3:9-11:
"What S.P.A.C.E do you give yourself?" (Feb
28, 08, 9:38 a.m.)
Mark 3:11-12:
"How do you fight E.V.I.L?" (Feb 29, 08,
9:11 a.m.)
Mark 3:13-16:
"What emphasis do you put on your R.E.L.A.T.I.O.N.S.H.I.P with Jesus?"
(March 01, 08, 9:29
a.m.)
Mark 3:17-19:
"Where do you have your A.P.P.O.I.N.T.M.E.N.T in?" (March
03, 08, 9:49 a.m.)
Mark 3:20:
"Where do you G.A.T.H.E.R?" (March 04, 08,
12:07 p.m.)
Mark 3:21:
"How are your actions seen by your F.A.M.I.L.Y?" (March
05, 08, 10:24 a.m.)
Mark 3:22-27:
"How do you handle S.L.A.N.D.E.R?" (March 06,
08, 7:57 a.m.)
Mark 3:28-30:
"What is your V.I.E.W of Jesus?" (March 07, 08,
8:18 a.m.)
Mark 3:31-34:
"What do you do with God's Will?" (March 08,
08, 8:45 a.m.)
CHAPTER 4:
Mark 4:1-20:
"What do P.A.R.A.B.L.E.S mean to you?" (March
10, 08, 7:15 a.m.)
Mark 4:1-20:
"What if Jesus talked F.O.O.T.B.A.L.L?" (Feb
02, 08, 10:35 a.m.)
Mark 4:1-20:
"Where are you in your W.A.L.K with the Lord?" (March
11, 08, 9:32 a.m.)
Audio:
"Where are you in your W.A.L.K with the Lord?" (March
11, 08, 11:05 a.m.)
Mark 4:21-23:
"What kind of L.A.M.P will you be?" (March 12,
08, 9:40 a.m.)
Audio:
"What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L?" (March 14, 08,
10:11 a.m.)
"What do you C.O.N.C.E.A.L?" (March 14, 08,
8:52 a.m.)
John 12:12-15:
"How can you B.L.E.S.S the Lord?" (March 17,
08, 1:25 a.m.)
Philippians 2:8:
"What does the C.R.O.S.S mean to you?" (March
20, 08, 1:16 p.m.)
"How do you handle D.O.U.B.T.S?" (March
25, 08, 12:36 p.m.)
Mark 4:24-25:
"What do you do with what you H.E.A.R?" (March
31, 08, 8:39 a.m.)
Mark 4:26-29:
"What do you do with the W.O.R.D of God?" (April
05, 08, 10:18 a.m.)
Mark 4:30-34:
"What do you do with the S.E.E.D?" (April 07, 08,
11:48 a.m.)
Mark 4:35-41:
"What are the S.T.O.R.M.S in your life?" (April 08, 08,
11:52 a.m.)
CHAPTER 5:
Mark 5:1-13:
"Where is your T.O.R.M.E.N.T coming from?" (April 09, 08,
11:50 a.m.)
Mark 5:14-17:
"Where do you need H.E.A.L.I.N.G?" (April 11, 08,
11:46 a.m.)
Mark 5:14-17:
"What do people R.E.P.O.R.T about you?" (April 12, 08,
11:00 a.m.)
Mark 5:18-19:
"What makes you A.F.R.A.I.D of Jesus?" (April 14, 08,
10:40 a.m.)
Mark 5:18-19:
"Will you T.E.L.L others about Jesus?" (April 15, 08,
11:32 a.m.)
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