AMBER KELLER / L’Observateur / March 13, 1999

I was shocked when I started studying the Bible and found out how much God warns us against gossiping. But then again, I didn’t gossip all that much, or did I? Every now and then, I would make an evaluation of how someone was dressed; sometimes I would comment on how I would have handled a situation better if I were that person;God seemed to think it was. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesometalk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”Now, that’s where I was caught. I could try to justify a lot of things I’d say, but the only thing my speech was benefitting was the satisfaction of my flesh. It wasn’t productive to anyone, yet it was so tempting. I could not help but jump in on any convThis is so true. Every time I would see an opportunity to gossip, I would eat itup. This had quickly become a bad habit of mine. In a way, I think it was a formof laziness also. We all know how easy it is to find the bad in people. I justdidn’t want to take the time to find the good.

By now, I knew I had to do something about this. Proverbs 10:19 says, “Whenwords are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.”I really did want to be wise, and, more importantly, I did not want to be living in sin. I remembered that saying, “If you can’t say anything good, then don’t say anything at all.” So, that’s what I began trying so hard to do. I started holding my tongue and keeping my comments to myself. As I began to do this, I found it easier to seNow, I have by no means conquered my gossiping, but each day I make it a point to try to hold my tongue. Proverbs 13:3 says, “He who guards his lips guards hislife, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”It is very difficult, but when it comes down to life or death, I am going to try my best to keep my mouth from running.

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