Look Past the Fault and Find the Need

If there is one thing that people love... it is to talk about other people.  

It doesn't matter if you are with a group of Christians or not, if you spend enough time chatting chances are you will talk about people not in the room, some people you will praise, some people will be completely ripped apart.    It often is so much easier to empathize or connect with someone when you are complaining about something or someone.  Why is this? Probably because most of us can experience when we have been frustrated by others and it feels good to have someone on "our side".   As proverbs says

Pro 26:22  The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.

As Christians we need to ask ourselves are we glorifying God when we are talking about others in this way.   What does it do to the Christian community?  What does it do to our hearts? 

I am still relatively very young... but I can tell you what I have seen Gossip do.   I have seen churches split.   I have seen best of friends hate one another, I have seen people become bitter towards others.  I know for a fact how my attitude changes toward people when I gossip about them.   They stop being a person and become a symbol for all that is wrong with the world...  If people could only be more like me... sensible.  This type of thinking is very bad it makes us think very highly of ourselves.   The bible has some things to say about gossip.

Pro 16:28  A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. 

Pro 26:20-22  For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases.

Before In my last post I talked about if you are devoted to being obedient to God... and building Fellowship and prayer you will see God move in your life and the community.   In the opposite way if there is gossip and talking behind peoples backs...  the Devil will be moving and doing his work freely in our lives and the community. 

Personally I have been hurt by gossip and I know many others who have as well... it is a very hurtful thing.  And while I say that... I think it was just the other day where I was talking with a group of people and we started talking about people in our community and started talking peoples short comings and weaknesses... and making fun of them yet we never talked about ourselves and our shortcomings... we also never prayed for them we only mocked them.  

What should we do instead?  

Heb 10:23-25  Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near. 

When we meet together we should be encouraging one another... stirring up one another to love and good works... and meeting one another.   Wise words were once spoken to me
 Look past the fault and find the need.
 This is how we should be acting as Christians.   So Lets make an commitment to ourselves and with one another that when ever we start to talk about someone in a derogatory way...  lets keep one another accountable and instead of sowing discontent among our brothers... let us stir up love for one another and pray for one another.
  

  For this is how we know what love is that God sent his Son Jesus Christ to die for us while we were yet sinners... He calls us to love others and build one another up.   So let us pray for one another... If there is someone who you pushes your buttons and you get the urge to share his or her weakness with others restrain your tongue...  for God loves them so much...  He loves them as much as He loves you.   Let us love one another and build one another up...  When we do...  we will see God do more amazing things.