Tasty morsels can lead to death: the danger of ‘delicious’ gossip
By Dean Collins
Watch yourself when served a delicious appetizer! Appetizers are usually tasty morsels of food that stimulate our appetites and get us ready for the main entree. However, sometimes they are so good you just can’t help but have another and another, and before you know it you are so full you cannot really enjoy the main meal because you have a full stomach. The appetizer may be delicious but may not have the full nutritional value of the entree. I suspect just eating tasty appetizers consistently instead of eating a balanced diet would have negative long-term results on our health.
The wise king of Proverbs makes a similar point about gossip: “The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”
The Hebrew word for whisperer is often also translated “gossip,” “ grumbler,” and even “backbiter.” If the word has such negative meanings, why is this whispering like a tasty or delicious morsel? For one, we naturally have curiosity about what others are doing, how they live their lives, and what are their secrets to success. This interest can be harmless, but when what is going on in someone else’s life is presented as “inside information” and when speculation or rumor is presented as “fact,” the whispering can lead to dissension in an organization and harm in individuals’ lives.
In Proverbs 16, Solomon indicates that spreading strife is the work of a dishonest person and can be so divisive that it separates even close friends. Proverbs always gives us positive and godly alternatives to behaviors that disrespect others, dishonor God, and weaken our witness for Christ. One alternative is found in Proverbs 16: 23-24: “Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Spreading gossip, like eating too many appetizers, can fill you up in unhealthy ways. But there is a sweetness that comes to our souls and health to our bodies when we speak with kindness and love and are wise in what we say and how we say it.
Lord, we ask forgiveness for the times we have accidentally or deliberately participated in the actions of a gossip. Forgive us for repeating the things we heard. Fill us with your spirit and give us wisdom to know and act with kindness. May our words reflect your love and kindness today and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Your time with God’s Word
Proverbs 18:8-10; 16:23-24, 28 ESV
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