Watch Out For Gossip

Hello my sisters! This past weekend at a breakfast fellowship, I shared with some of the ladies at my church about some things we need to know about gossip. Yes, that ugly word that can cause a whole lot of heartache and strife in the church.

Now as pastors’ and ministers’ wives we should know better than anyone how gossip, and its twin cousin slander, can really hinder ministry activity in our churches. We have even seen our husbands get caught in the middle of it,not as a participator, but as a mediator who tries to bring comfort and healing to those affected by it. Unfortunately there are some wives of pastors and ministers who get caught right in the middle of it, they enjoy doing it and cannot get enough of it. What about you? Do you give very careful thought to what you talk about with others? Do your conversations sometime resemble gossiping and slandering? Our words could easily be twisted, unintentionally circulating in the “rumor mill” if spoken carelessly.

What does a “true gossip” look like? Based on what I have seen and read, a sister may be a gossip if:

1. She invites it and people are comfortable doing it in her presence.
2. She uses it to tear down a person’s character to get what she wants.
3. She uses it to win friends and impress others.
4. She uses it to feel superior to others.

Hopefully, none of these traits describes you, but maybe someone you know. Also, the word “gossip” or “slanderer” means accuser, and is used 34 times in the New Testament to describe Satan, our enemy who constantly makes accusations against us. Wow! I am sure none of us wants to be engaged in the work of the Devil by what we say to and about others.

Here are a few verses (not an exhaustive list) that are sure to help when we want to chose our words carefully:

Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles. Proverbs 21:23

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Ephesians 4:29

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. Colossians 4:6


Let us all be diligent to stop and think before we speak. We can apologize for our misguided words, but we cannot take them back. Something to think about as we watch out for gossip.