Words of Worth

.....not slanderers or slaves to drink.  Titus 2:3

People are prone to gossip. We use different words for it to make it sound better like: concern - "I'm so concerned about him.  He seems so sullen all the time.  I wonder if everything's okay in their marriage." worry - I'm so worried that they'll lose their house.  He doesn't seem to care if he has a job or not!"  excitement - "Did you hear that she won first place in the singing contest?  I'm so excited for her!  Of course, if my daughter had participated..."  and so on.

Gossip:  Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.

I notice that it doesn't say anything about the comments being negative or derogatory.  It simply says things that are not confirmed as true.  "She had the job interview today.  She's got it in the bag.  I'm so happy for her!"  What happens if she doesn't get the job?  People start congratulating her and she feels worse about not getting it than she did originally.  Sometimes we actually get it in or heads (or is that only me?) that we are being helpful in saying things like this.  We think we are being encouraging, when in fact, we are being hurtful.

The Greek word used in Titus is diabolos which has the short definition of "slanderous, the Slanderer, the Devil."

So when we gossip, regardless if it is what we consider positive or negative, we are evidently acting like the devil himself.  UGH!
I pray we learn to want to sound like Jesus as well as look like Him.  We need to remember to never say anything about another person that you would not be willing to say to them directly.

Here is an old adage that is very wise:
            "Simple people talk about other people.
             Average people talk about things.
             Wise people talk about ideas."

As far as slaves to drink, we should not want to be slaves to anything or anyone except the Lord Himself.  Anything in this world we seemingly cannot let go of becomes an object or worship, an idol, and we become enslaved to it; whether gossip, drugs, alcohol, overeating, exercise, health food, someone we love, etc.  God should be the One and Only object of our worship.

Lord, there are daily opportunities thrown in our paths to bow before the god of gossip and idol worship.  I pray that You would remind us at each one that, if we give in, we are acting like Satan himself.  Lord, we do not want to sound or look anything at all like him.  We want others to not only see You in our behavior, but hear You in the words and manner with which we speak.  Continue making us more like You daily.