Gossip is so juicy. It’s like a piece of food that once you taste it, you just have to have more. It goes right down to your inner parts and satisfies some long held craving deep in your soul.
Then it makes you sick.

In fact, it makes the church sick too. Gossip is so bad it’s rated in the same lists as murder, hating God, and rebellion. Gossip is not a minor sin. It’s not something that should be excused because everyone does it. It is an evil ugly thing that should be eradicated.

Gossip’s twin sister is slander. Gossip is bad enough when it’s true. How much worse when it’s false! One of Satan’s names in Greek is Diabolos. (the Devil). Literally translated it means Slanderer. Sounds like something Christians should avoid don’t you think? One of the names of Satan and we do it as if it’s no big deal.

Gossip is pervasive in our society. Especially in the media. Reality shows are basically feeding your desire for gossip. Most news these days is really just gossip. Most online newspapers have outrageous headlines with subtext that says things like, “You won’t believe what you know who has said now.” They call to your desire for gossip and promise to fulfil it if you’ll just click this article and read away.

The most important news didn’t happen 15 minutes ago. It happened 2,000 years ago. But where do you spend more of your time each day? Reading about gossip, or reading about important news?

Someone was saying recently that the “Prayer Chain” in their church was nothing more than a “Gossip Chain”. People would “commit to pray” so they could be first in line to hear all the gossip. And others in the church were reluctant to ask for prayer because they knew that within an hour everyone in the chain would be gossiping about them.
How appalling!
“Do I need prayer?”
“Yes, thanks, that would be wonderful.”
“What are the details, (so we can pray more specifically)?”
“God knows. Ask him.”

Seriously. You do not need to know the “juicy” details to be able to pray for someone. You don’t even need to know whether they need prayer.
Ask God if they need prayer. He knows that too!
If you’re really qualified to be on any Prayer Chain, then you should be able to talk to God about me and know whether I need your intercession on my behalf.

Love covers over a multitude of sins.
Gossip damages relationships and destroys churches.

Your choice.