Delicious Gossip

For Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Proverbs 26:22

The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels;
they go down into the inner parts of the body.

Simply put, we enjoy gossip. That is the reason it spreads easily and quickly. We enjoy receiving it, and we enjoy passing it on. When we receive news that excites us, our natural inclination is to share the excitement. News about someone else's discomfort somehow arouses our interest to hear and "share." As Christians, we mask our sinful interest by telling ourselves we are interested out of Christian concern.

The whispering of gossip, notwithstanding "Christian concern," typically adds to the pain of the person or trouble to situation that is being whispered about. Word gets back to the person filling them with same and stirring up anger. More "solutions" are offered to the problem situation, creating more complexity to deal with.

What is the solution to whispering gossip? Proverb 26:20 has already given it. Stop whispering. Don't go on a diet of whispering. Go on a fast. It may be difficult at first. But as the person discovers, who seriously cuts out foods that seem sweet but are harmful, the very denial opens up the taste buds to more natural, enjoyable tastes.