Spill the Tea?

“Apparently, I’m living a life worth gossiping about. LOL.

Imagine how boring their lives must be if they think mine is interesting.”

In Niugini when someone dies and there isn’t an obvious cause, someone else is inevitably accused of murder via witchcraft. The accusation is called poisin tok (poison talk). Literally anyone can be accused: the old, middle aged or teenagers, men or women, a neighbour, someone in the village or in a village nearby. No-one is exempt from being accused. No- one is exempt from poison talk, and no-one accuses another person of witchcraft without malicious intent. Once someone is accused the news travels fast. Poison talk will change a person’s life and it can also end a person’s life. Countless innocent people have been accused of witchcraft and then killed based solely on poison talk.

Gossip is defined as “idle talk or rumour, especially about the personal or private affairs of others; or a conversation involving malicious chatter or rumours about other people.” (dictionary.com) While slander is: “a malicious, false, and defamatory statement or report; defamation; calumny; or a false and malicious statement designed to injure the reputation of someone or something.” (dictionary.com) So, gossip may have some truth in it, but slander is a straight-out lie. But the heart of both is the same: both have malicious intent.

Malicious words started in Eden: it is the first thing Satan attacked when he tempted Eve, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1) Satan sowed doubt using words, about God’s word, because from the beginning, he has known words have the power to destroy. Proverbs teaches us that slander causes deep wounds and separates friends:

The words of a talebearer [literally: slanderer] are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. (Proverbs 18:8)

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer [literally: slanderer], the strife ceaseth. (Proverbs 26:20)

A froward man soweth strife: and a talebearer [literally: slanderer] separateth chief friends. (Proverbs 16:28)

Paul lists gossip and slander as the behaviour of the reprobate:

Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers [literally: gossips], backbiters [literally: slanderers], haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents (Romans 1:29-30)

And he also knew how easy it was for churches to descend to destructive words:

For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings [literally: slander], whisperings [literally: gossip], swellings, tumults: (2 Corinthians 12:20)

And sadly today, gossip exists in many churches, and some even have slander circulating. But it isn’t how it should be (James 3:10). James warns us in great detail about the power of the tongue:

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. (James 3:6)

Words can destroy a person but they can also destroy an entire church. Notice the double entendre: The tongue is a fire in a single person, and defiles them. And it can also be a fire amongst the church members and can ruin an entire church body. Words have the power to poison a person and, an entire church.

Jesus warns us that we will give account for every idle word we speak, that our words justify or condemn us, and that our words reveal to others what is really inside our hearts (Matthew 12:34-37).  And James also tells us that bitter words and strife are devilish, and cause confusion and evil works (James 3:15-16). The source of gossip and slander in our churches is the devil, because he is set on destroying churches. He is walking about as a roaring lion looking to devour somebody (1 Peter 5:8). He is looking for a way to destroy you and your church. Please, don’t give him the opportunity.

Churches are a place where Christians should edify and build one another up (1 Peter 2:5, 1 Corinthians 14:12). And we do that with words:

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)

How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. (1 Corinthians 14:26)

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (James 5:16)

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (Colossians 3:16)

Words are so much more powerful than many people understand. Words can create, they can edify, they can build up, they are used to praise God, to sing, to pray, to preach. Words save. Without words there is no gospel. Without words there is no salvation because Christ is the word. And while false words are one of Satan’s most powerful weapons, The Word is one of God’s. When Jesus is taken to be tempted of the devil in the wilderness, we don’t see an epic intergalactic Marvel-style battle of the gods. Instead they have a conversation. Satan attempts to destroy Jesus with words and Jesus defends himself with words. Because words are powerful.

Jesus said that Satan is the father of lies, a murderer and there is no truth in him (John 8:44). Satan is the father of gossip and slander. Do you understand the power of words to poison and destroy? Because Satan does. And he is also subtle enough to convince people that their words are acceptable when they are they not. He will convince people that their words aren’t a problem, that their motives and intentions are pure; and he knows that we can even deceive ourselves. But God’s word can discern even the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Hebrews 4:12).

Speaking the words of life is God’s chosen strategy to redeem the world, a strategy he has entrusted to us (Romans 10:14-15, 1 Corinthians 1:21). We have the power to speak life or death (Proverbs 18:21).

Choose life.

All Glory to God