Is The Tea Always Good?

 

Ephesians 4:29

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful to bringing others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Proverbs 21:23

"Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity"

Psalm 101:5

"Whoever slanders their neighbor in secret, I will put to silence; however has haughty eyes and a proud heart, I will not tolerate". 

The Tea!

The Hot Topic!

The Spicy News!

The Slip!

Gossipping is what it is!

Gossiping is talking casually about someone or a situation without confirmation of the truth.

It is mostly done in an ill manner and with the intention to defame a person or situation. 

We have all, and I mean, ALL engaged in this activity at least once or even thrice in our lifetime.

All of us have sat down and discussed someone's life as some form of entertainment. 

We have indulged in a little hearsay, a little sip-sip. 

It's just words! 

No one can hear us! 

We're having fun! 

It doesn't cause any kind of harm to anyone!

If I had to make a bet, (and I don't gamble), what is the root of much hate and division in the world, I guarantee you that it would be what someone had heard. 

Gossip and slander were one of the best devices the enemy concocted because he knows that with it comes discord and separation. 

What do you mean, TheRay?

Let's look at it like this, then.

When we begin to talk and gossip about our brothers and sisters, we plant seeds of division. We sow in hate,-whether obvious or not, anger, and even bitterness. 

The person who hears the gossip then begins to water this seed of division by believing and acting according to what they have heard.

This seed of division, hate, anger, and bitterness begins to sprout when the person who heard starts to act out. 

It would often be seen as the person not speaking to the person who the gossip is about anymore. It can also be seen in the way they would start to treat the person and act towards the person. They would begin to treat the person not based on who they truly are, but on the made-up stories, they have heard about them. 

Then, the person who sowed and the persons who water wouldn't just stop there, but begin to spread what is said. Now, it's not just the sower and waterer in cahoots with creating division but now it's also a few more along for the ride. This makes the enemy smile.

Gossipping is a hard habit to kick and purged from. 

Personally, I find myself feeling dirty afterward, but somehow still slip into it effortlessly.

It's because it's charming like that. 

It doesn't feel like a major sin, so we don't feel like doing so is a bad thing. 

But, now you see the effects of what it can do. What result it can cause and I don't want to be the cause of discord. I am sure you don't want to either, especially when it is one of the things that God hates. (Proverbs 6:19)

How can one be purged from it then?

I was rebuked for this before. I am not a major gossiper, but like I say, I dabbled in it, and even though it was a little, the conviction used to hit me so hard when I did it. 

"You're talking too much" 

That's what was said to me. 

To clarify, God wasn't upset with me about talking, but He rebuked me because the conversations that I kept were idle. They held no salt. 

When I look at it now, I know why I did it. It's because gossiping and slandering helped me to show my anger. 

It was an unhealthy release for me. I don't care about people's lives and what they do with them, but it was the anger and hurt that caused me. 

It wasn't the right way to be healed from my wound and I think that's why every time I did it I would feel convicted about it. 

I hope this is helping someone today. 

So again, how does one purge from this? 

From being a gossiper?

A slanderer?

I would recommend first identifying why you do it. 

Why do you find yourself constantly in other people's business? 

Why do you want to talk about others in such an ill way?

Is it because of anger and hurt like me? Or, did you grow up that way? 

Is it a form of release for you? Why do you enjoy it?

When you have found out the reason why you do it, then recognize who the people are who you do it with. 

Bonding over gossip/hate and slander is real. 

Why whenever you and this person meet you have to share a conversation where you are pulling down someone?

When you have done these two things, then it's now time to do the necessary things to eradicate them. 

You may have to change how you converse. (Check out "Guide Your Tongue")

Ask God how your conversations can be wholesome and of salt. How it can be uplifting and positive, instead of seeds filled with discord. 

You may have to switch who you converse with. Because you may begin to realize that as you talk more with salt in your conversation the person who was so used to bonding over negativity wouldn't want to hold a conversation with you anymore and that's fine.

Let the tea now help with building stronger friendships, healthy relationships, and any other thing rather than pulling down others. 

I know this is not easy. 

You're going to find yourself relapsing every now and then, I know I do, but don't stop trying. 

Help me in asking God to be a bridle on our tongue, that we may give careful thought to our words before we speak. That we will keep our tongue from evil and let it be used to build and never tear down. 

Let it be good and not evil. 

So, as I begin to continue on this journey to hold my tongue from slander and gossip, I pray that you join me. So that instead of discord being sown, unity can blossom.

~TheRay