People are Talking
It usually begins with something like this:
“You know that we’ve been friends for years and that I wouldn’t hurt you for the world.”
Brace yourself. Here it comes:
“I just think that you should know that people are talking.”
It is very difficult for me to think of a time when those three words – “people are talking” – have ever been followed by something positive. Sadly, it seems to be very, very rare for anybody to voluntarily tell another person that people are saying nice things about that person, his or her family, etc.
If you hear those three words, you can just about bank on the fact that you are about to hear something hurtful, critical, and unkind. Of course, once again, this is all presented by a “friend” who “is only trying to help.”
When you hear those three words and the information that follows them, some questions may go through your mind. Some of those questions may be:
- Why didn’t your “friend” defend you?
- Why didn’t he or she throw cold water on whatever is being said?
- Why do you have this uneasy feeling that this “friend” may have turned up the heat and stirred the pot before coming to you?
- Why is your “friend” so reluctant to tell you who those unnamed people are and give you the opportunity to go to them in order to clarify or rectify the situation?
- Why is your “friend” the only one talking at the moment? Could it be that he/she is a self-appointed committee of one?
It seems to me that the type of behavior being discussed here would easily fall into the category of gossip. In some translations of the Bible, the person engaged in this activity is identified as a talebearer.
The Bible has some things to say about this type of person. Unless I am mistaken, none of those things is positive. Instead of listing and commenting on all of the relevant passages here, I have chosen only one:
Where there is no wood, the fire goes out;
and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.
Proverbs 20:26 (NKJV)
A somewhat similar word picture is presented to us in the New Testament. We are reminded that:
…the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!
James 3:5
Would it not be true that the world would be a much better place if each of us would make the choice to be a firefighter instead of an arsonist? Would it not be even better for us to do all we could to prevent fires?
It seems to me, that the following verses would help in doing just that.
So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.
Romans 14:19
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29
Wouldn’t it be great if, when people are talking, they were talking about Jesus?!
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AUTHOR: Jim Faughn
