Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Things That Don't Count?

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I was mulling over what to write about today. The thing that came to mind during my devotion was confessing my sin of gossip. I rejected that immediately. Not really, I just wondered if we really wanted to go there.
Then I read the blog "Stuff Christian's Like" by Prodigal John. He writes an interesting blog about Christian stuff....sometimes funny, usually thought provoking. Today's topic...Things That Don't Count. Things like: taking home office supplies from work, using the computer for personal things while at work, working it so you can get two of an offer that plainly states "one per family" you get the idea. We try to fool our self and God that this stuff really is inconsequential....of off God's radar....SO we can do what we really wanted to do any way.

Gossip is a big temptation for me. A friend was coming for lunch yesterday. A friend I had taught with years ago and hadn't seen recently. I knew we would be "sharing" (Christian Euphemism for gossiping) about mutual friends. So wise woman I am, I prayed and asked God to help me NOT GOSSIP during our time together. AND to point her towards God without being "holier than thou".

As we were chatting, a friend's name would come up, Holy Spirit would say in my mind....don't gossip and I would promptly DISOBEY. Why is it so enticing to sharing a tidbit about someone else that I don't resist?

If you are tempted as you are reading this to say, what is gossip and what is sharing info I'll quote from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life, "gossip is sharing a situation that you are not a part of." That makes perfect sense to me. If I am talking about someone else's marriage or child or weight etc.... I am not a part of that marriage, child, etc.... so I have NO RIGHT to discuss it.

LORD, help!

Any one else admit to a problem with this or any other "Thing That suposedly Doesn't Count"?















1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Wow. This is a thought-provoking post. Thank you for being so honest.

I really struggle with it most in one area. When it comes to people I'm not related to, and they don't affect me directly, I'm pretty good about not "sharing". It's when the person is very close to me and her actions (or inaction) has a direct affect on me, that I really need to whine and complain!

I was actually comtemplating posting about the very same thing today. I had to end a very close friendship a few years ago because the friend was consumed with poisonous gossip. I still struggle, wondering if I handled that one the right way or not.