Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Be Careful Little Tongue What You Say

Gossip Corner

by Ellen Bailey

Do you have a gossip corner inside your home
A place to spread rumors or create your own
A place where prattle can be spread around town
A place that allows others to drag someone down

Unfounded gossip can travel in many directions
Overcoming obstructions and evading correction
It can negate happiness and put sorrow in its place
It can erase a smile and put tears on someone's face

Smearing others and tarnishing their reputations
Should be left to those of a younger generation
We who are older and are supposed to be mature
Should not abet in spreading this kind of manure

Quell the gossip that tries to enter into your home
Do not give it more legs on which to further roam
Replace it with mentions of truly honorable deeds
And demonstrate to others your personal integrity

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As keeper of my home, it's my duty to guard what comes into my house. There are so many things that we wouldn't dare allow to come into our house. Some of the obvious are R-rated movies that would cause sleepless nights to our young children and make our teenagers hormones rage off the charts. We wouldn't allow secular music to enter our homes and fill our kids minds with fantasies that are unrealistic and cause us to think about past relationships when "our song" would come on. Especially those slow jams from the 80s. I for one check every piece of garment that my kids buy from the store. There's no room in the drawers and not enough hangers in the closet for immodest clothes and pants that will fall to the ground because the proper size wasn't purchase.

As I keep a watchful eye on what comes into my home, some things come in that I can't see. They travel in through the hearts of those who enter my home. Whether it's someone who lives here or someone else who brings it in. They are invisible and unless I'm God, which I'm not, I can't see them. One of those things is gossip. When we hear the word gossip right away red flags go up and we disassociate ourselves from that word. In reality, who wants to be known as a gossip or even associated with one. No one. But the sad truth is.....we have all been there and done that. Praise God for growth and the truth that resides in His word.

I remember once while teaching Sunday school many years ago, a little boy looked up at me and said, "Sister King you're really nice and I don't know why my mom talks about you."

I would like to caution you to be careful what you say around your children. If they don't repeat what you say about someone, their actions will show towards that adult that you're talking about.

There have been many wonderful children who have walked away from the Lord. Not because of what mom and dad did in the home, but because of what mom and dad said in the home. What they said about other people sitting around the dinner table and on the phone. What's a child to do when parents have another couple over from for coffee and they hear them talk about Brother and Sister John & Jane Doe. Guard your home! Don't allow anything to enter your home that does not glorify God and/or His people.

There are many quotes regarding gossip:

Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you.
Spanish Proverb

The only time people dislike gossip is when you gossip about them.
Will Rogers

Gossip is always a personal confession either of malice or imbecility.
Josiah Gilbert Holland

Live in such a way that you would not be ashamed to sell your parrot to the town gossip.
Will Rogers

Never tell evil of a man, if you do not know it for certainty, and if you know it for a certainty, then ask yourself, 'Why should I tell it?'
Johann K. Lavater

Proverbs 26:20 - Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.












8 comments:

anthia-ofo said...

I take this reminder to heart. It's so easy to allow gossip to creep in. Thanks for this post.

Mary said...

Yes, yes! Preach it! How are things going in your new home?

Deanna said...

Sandra, blessings to you!
Hope your move has gone well.

This was a great post that you've shared.

Have a great Summer,
d

Unknown said...

Oh, My! This is so true. "Whoever gossips to you will gossip about you." You have to get to the point to where you have to tell the person you don't want to hear it. Then, they will stop bringing it to you. Great post as always. Blessings to you and your family.

Bit by Bit said...

Hello-love your blog (which I just found over at DeNiece's and Hadias). I agree with "Sisters of Honor", You don't realize how bad and hurtful gossip can be until you are the one being gossiped about. Thanks for the great post. Congratulations on your new move. May god bless you and your family.

~Lisi P. said...

Amen to your post! Kids definitely repeat what they hear & what they are exposed to. It's definitely good to watch what we say around them & around others, period. Also, to be careful about what we allow in our minds & thoughts.

Thanks for the reminder :)

MOMSWEB said...

Amen. Christian women like to think 'spiritual discussion' is not gossip, but IT IS! Great post!

Unknown said...

Thank You so much for this Sandra-it really spoke to my heart.
Rachelle