Do I think God tells us to be gossipers?  No.

Have I gossiped before?  Yep, at times.  I always say, I’m always be a work in progress.

I don’t believe for a second that God likes gossiping and most of us don’t either, especially if we’re on the receiving end.  It’s not fun to have your personal business a topic of conversation without you even being in the same room.

I mean, we can tell ourselves we’re hearing from God even when what’s about to come out of our mouths may hurt someone else and that it’s God telling us to say those words.  But in reality, aren’t we using Him as the excuse to do what we want, which is just the opposite of who He is even so far as to know deep down we shouldn’t?  I know things can seem convoluted at times; discerning whether or not we’re hearing from God in his oh so soft voice, or it’s our own desire to say what we want, how we want because we feel we have the right to.  This is where I hope we take that split second and decide to do what’s right.  When we’re not sure, we have the answer in front of us, if we want it; prayer (personal conversation with God), mediation, the choice to look up the topic in the Bible, and/or Google that topic for a scripture.  I believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that the answer will be spoken.  Just ask God to help you “receive” it.

I also want to point out that God is very specific on the topic of gossiping.  He goes so far as to tell us exactly what will happen when we do.

“A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. ”
Proverbs 16:28 (ESV)

It wasn’t too long ago when I went through a very difficult time where I found myself in some trouble and the consequences left me feeling shamed and embarrassed.  Fuel was added to that fire when I heard that those who I trusted were telling my story, not very well I might add, without my permission and certainly without respect for me.  My heart broke and though I forgave those individuals, I have never forgotten what that felt like.

How much more clear and specific does God’s word need to be on this subject?  Telling us “. . . a whisperer separates close friends.”  HE means it!

So, when we know information on someone else and we have a question on whether to repeat it or not, we have the Word at our finger tips to tell us exactly how we should handle and answer our own question.  I know we can slip sometimes, but I believe we can continue to work on this daily and be mindful of how are words affect others.

My Tip:  When someone tells their story, it’s up to that individual to give permission to have it repeated.  Otherwise, we all need to learn to zip it!

“I tell you on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak. . . ”
Matthew 12:36 (ESV)

Whether you believe God is speaking about gossiping or not, I believe sharing others personal or private information definitely falls under “gossip.”