411

We are all guilty of it... we've all done it at some point in our life... It's not something we are proud of... or are we? 


Can anyone guess what I am talking about? It's only one word- and it can cause mounds and mounds of damage. 


Still no clue? Ok ok.. I'll tell you... 

G O S S I P

This simple to spell six letter word is poison. 

We've heard it from our parents, teachers, friends-- etc "If you don't have anything nice to say, keep it to yourself" & "It doesn't concern you... mind your own business"

Did you know that in the bible it actually in one translation says "Mind your own business"?! Yup!!! No kidding!!! LOOK...


⁹ Now about your love for one another... for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. ¹¹ and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you. ~1 Thessalonians 4:9,11 niv


I don't know about you, but the first time I read this verse... I literally stopped and looked up and laughed! "Mind your own business" I said out loud! lol Wow- God really did think of everything!! lol I've heard this verse referred to as the "411" verse. Funny right? hahaha


Wondering why people refer to it as "411?" Well, one reason would be... back before there were smartphones-- we had to dial 411 when we needed information. Another reason... The scripture "address" is 1 Thes. 4:11-- get it "411" lol I thought that was really funny too!


"This isn't for me" you say... You say "Oh, I'm not spreading gossip..." 


Well, let me ask you a couple of questions... 

• Are you repeating something that someone said to you to someone else?
• Are you playing telephone?- You know, like the game telephone? The game we play with the kids... sit them in a circle, whisper in the person sitting beside you ear and they whisper in the next person and so on, so on... until they get to the final person and the final person blurts out what they think they heard. Is what they say ever the EXACT SAME thing that the original person whispered? Usually... no. This is also know as the game of gossip.

If you are talking to another person about someone- are you saying anything that you wouldn't say directly to that other person's face? Example: You are out shopping with your friend- and you say "Have you seen Barb lately?! Wow she's gotten really fat!" --~Okay, don't deny that you've never said anything like this~ Stop and think about this. Would you say what you just said to Barb's face? ummmm-- I hear you saying NO!! Of course you wouldn't speak that to Barb. So why would you speak it to someone else? Why speak negative things into Barb's life? Life and death are in the power of the tongue peeps.


So, what happens if the tables are turned? What if you are not the person spreading the gossip- but the person with the ear... the listener... the friend? Eeek... what do you do? What do you say to the person speaking the negative? This can be sticky... first I would say not to speak any negative into the situation. Something like this happened to me earlier this week- I responded with speaking positive into the situation. 


Example of some conversations: 


Gossip:"I went to see Barb and she was like.... and then she said... and I was like... Oh my goodness right? Well Michelle, what do you think?!!!"
Non-Gossip: (speaking positive words) Well, I think Barb is complement & I enjoy being around her. 
          -The person will (or should) get the hint that you don't want to gossip

Gossip:"I went to see Barb and she was like.... and then she said... and I was like... Oh my goodness right? Well Michelle, what do you think?!!!"

Non-Gossip: Have you ever read 1 Thessalonians? And share with them the wisdom you know.

Gossip: "I went to see Barb and she was like.... and then she said... and I was like... Oh my goodness right? Well Michelle, what do you think?!!!"
Non- Gossip: Ummm, person's name I don't really care for you talking behind Barb's back. 
Gossip response to you: Oh i'm not talking behind her back...
Non- Gossip response: Well, it seemed like you were to me and I don't like people talking behind my back, so I don't want to do it. 


~If you are thinking that the person you hang out with gossips a lot- and you are in one of these conversations... you might want to say something to them about it. If you are thinking you can't do that because they are your friend and you don't want to hurt their feelings-- um sista-- (hard for me to say...mainly because I've hard to do it) start distancing yourself from them... that relationship is not a healthy one and I mean- it even says it in the bible to mind your own business. 


So, the next time that you go to speak up to someone about someone else-- think about it first... would you say what you are saying to that "somebody's" face?


Take care of you :)