Words are used to accomplish many things. They are used to motivate, encourage, discourage, form opinions and promote policies. There are countless other ways to use words. Many people use words to gossip about others.
Why do they do that? Because talking bad about someone else makes us feel better doesn’t it?
Society holds productivity in high regard currently.
Is gossip a productive use of words? Rarely, if ever.
Gossip has several characteristics.
The first characteristic is that gossip is about someone else, not ourselves, and it is done behind the back of the one who is the subject of the gossip.
The second characteristic is that it is negative in nature.
The third characteristic is that it is worthless for the force of change in that person’s life.
If you want someone to change something, I suggest you talk to them about it in a positive manner and continue to encourage them in that effort.
If you really want someone to change I encourage you to talk to God about them. He is in the business of changing people.
In Ephesians 4:29 it says, “Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is necessary for building others up, that it may benefit those who listen.”
It appears that God would like our words to be used in a productive manner. Gossip is about as unproductive as you can get in the world of words.
I would like to encourage all of my readers to make this Christmas a Merry Christmas by giving kind and edifying words to one another and to refrain from gossip.
If you have a problem with someone take it to God, He is really the only one who can do anything.