Proverbs 26:20 Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down.

When we were kids we all heard the saying, “Sticks and Stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me!” Well to be perfectly honest with you the person that came up with that saying was a liar!

Words do hurt my friends. Sometimes words hurt more than sticks and stones, because the damage from sticks can go away, but the hurt from rumors or gossip can sting long after the physical signs are gone.

Gossip, is openly sharing both nonfactual and personal information about someone else. Rumors and gossip are things that we should avoid at all cost because the information we spread can be destructive to those individuals when shared with others.

We are supposed to strive to be like Christ in all that we do and our God is not in the business of tearing down lives. He’s in the business of rebuilding and making all things new.

We are not responsible for how others act or what they say, but how we respond to their actions is our responsibility. The Word of God lets us know that we are wrong to keep alive a piece of gossip.

If you are the one spreading rumors and gossip, stop it and repent it’s very unbecoming of a believer in Jesus Christ, if you are the object of rumors and gossip, forgive them, show the Love of God in all that you do.

Our prayer focus today: Lord help me to put out the fire of gossip by not feeding it.