Gossip {Think on These Things}

{Affiliate links used}

We know how much gossip hurts and angers us, yet we seem to not mind it when we are NOT on the receiving end. There are a million reasons why we gossip...

We want to connect with those we are gossiping to.
We want to make ourselves look good.
We want to be the center of attention.
We want to seek revenge.
We want to be seen as important and as a source of information.
We are bored.
We are jealous of the one we gossip about.
We feel terrible about ourselves and want to feel better.

Turn the gossip around and make us the target and we are devastated. We can't fathom why anyone would talk about us like that (forgetting that we do the same). We are angry that others would speak about us while we were not in their presence. We are hurt by their words. The fact of the matter is we know how to spread gossip, but have a hard time processing it when we are receiving the brunt of it.

This month we are going to focus on what gossip does and how we should handle it when we are on the receiving end. Before we get to the verses let's talk about some of excellent resources dealing with the topic.

Keep it Shut by Karen Ehman is an excellent book on how to manage our mouths! There is a chapter on gossip, but the book branches out to other problems with our tongue like flattery, quarrels, "digital" talk, etc. There is a study guide available and a 40 day challenge called Zip It.

Another great and convicting book is Stopping Words That Hurt by Dr. Michael Sedler. This book hits hard. Sedler discusses why gossip happens, how to counteract it, how to deal with someone who has spoken ill of you, and practical advice to change your own speech. This has been one of the most life-changing books for me when it comes to deal with my words and the words of others.

I am reading The Forty-Day Word Fast this month. The book focuses on gossip, but also judgment, negativity, and criticism. As Christians, we think of fasting when it comes to food or TV or onscreen time. But what about our words???

So would you like to join me this month? You can find the verses to write out below and other resources to help you on your journey.

{You can download the file here.}

(Also in Spanish! También en español.)

Aquí está los versículos en español.

If you would like all the Think on These Things verses or want to know more about it, click here. To read about the benefits of Scripture writing, see this post.

Instagram

During the month I try to post my thoughts on the verses on Instagram. If you would like to follow me you can find me here. Also, if you are posting your own thoughts there please use the hashtag #thinkonthesethings. I would love to read how God speaks to you!!

Supplies

There are many ways you can use these verses. You can read and meditate on them. You can write them out as you meditate on them. You can read them and then write about them in a journal or journaling Bible. You could do verse mapping with them (See this post). Here are some of the items I use...

A single column journaling Bible allows you to make notes in the margins.