Wise Sayings
“Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; And where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.” Proverbs 26:20
If you don’t want a fire to continue, don’t put any more firewood on. The same is true with gossip fires. In Old Testament times, before lighter fluid and propane torches, fires took time to start. They started small, seemingly harmless. They then grew, demanding respect lest land, possession, and people be burned. Though gossip does not demand respect, it does act like fire. It starts small, grows in size, and burns with reputation, leaving damage difficult to repair. A little lie about another individual’s sin and shame grows in quantity as it spreads to more ears and in quality as the story grows more serious with every telling of it. Pretty soon, your neighbor is made out to be a murderer when you could have confronted him with love (provided you knew the matter in truth) or could have shown love by keeping silent and using the best construction.
But for every tale you’ve spun or enabled, every gossip fire that earned you eternal fire, Jesus puts it out with His sacrifice on the cross. He forgives you for all your sins, even those against the 8th Commandment, and redeems you to serve Him in love. He even blesses you to this end, giving you the Gospel lens through which to view your neighbor. Through this lens, you see that your neighbor has been redeemed by your Savior Jesus as well. Share this with him and view his name as a name cleansed beneath the fountain of Jesus’ blood. As you do, fulfill the godly desire and don’t add a log to the flames of gossip. Put the best construction on your neighbor and watch the blessings play out for him.
Oh, let me never speak what bounds of truth exceedeth;
Grant that no idle word from out my mouth proceedeth;
And then, when in my place I must and ought to speak,
My words grant power and grace lest I offend the weak.
The Lutheran Hymnal 395:3