In part 1 of this series I discussed Proverbs 11:13 which says that faithful people will conceal gossip, while liars will spread it.
We all know in our hearts that gossip is bad and that we shouldn’t have any part of it, but how can we resist? James 3:2-8 gives us a very potent view of how God views gossip:
“…If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
Though idle gossip is often shrugged off as an entertaining past-time, that is not what God considers it. In these verses we see that the tongue is able to do irreversible damage. You have probably suffered the effects of a loose tongue before. Have you ever said something that you immediately wished you never would have said? Furthermore, have you ever heard something said about you that hurt you? I’m sure your answers to these questions are “Yes”. I can remember the exact words of a person who said something hurtful about me years ago. Families have been dissolved and friendships have been shattered by the effects of a wayward tongue.
I believe the motivation in this scripture passage for controlling our tongues is found in verse 2, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” If we are able to control the things we say, we are able to control all other aspects of our lives. The Bible compares our tongues with the helm, or the steering wheel of a ship. Just as the helm determines in which direction a ship will go, our tongues determine which way our lives will go. If we are able to guard and control what we say, we will be able to keep ourselves out of trouble in many other areas of our life. Why? Because controlling the things that we say takes a great measure of self-control. We all know how easy it is to say something out of anger, jealousy or impatience. It takes self-control and firm resolve to clamp our mouths shut and refuse to gossip or say an angry word.
A final thought:In Matthew 12:36 Jesus says, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” God is listening to our conversations. He hears every word that we say, and He cares about every word that we say. One day we will have to explain to God why we’ve said some of the things that we’ve said. God is a loving, forgiving God. If you have a problem with gossip (which I believe almost everyone does to one degree or another) confess it and forsake it (I John 1:9). Determine that from now on, you will not take part in spreading gossip.