The Harm of Gossip


Gossip may be one of the most harmful daily happenings in the workplace and all other areas of our lives. We get sucked into participating, many times without even stopping to think that it is both harmful and sinful.
It is our nature to want to be “in on” all the latest grapevines. It makes us feel important to pass along what we have heard. We participate in this activity even when we do not know if what we have heard is true. Just think, gossip that is untrue is really slander.
God’s Word has many references about both gossip and slanderous behavior.
Proverbs 16:28 A perverse man sows strife and a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer reveals secrets but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.

Paul, in 2 Cor. 12:20, worried when he visited the Corinthians he would not find them as he wished but there would be contentions, jealousies, outburst of wrath, selfish ambitions, backbiting, whisperings, conceits and tumults. Do any of these human traits describe behaviors in your work environment? Do you think gossip was the basis for some of these behaviors?

The Devil is one of the most evil slanderers referred to in the Bible. In Job 1:11, he told God that Job would surely curse God to His face if God stretched out His hand and touched all that he had. The Devil was even bold enough to slander God, when he told Eve, ”you won’t surely die if you eat the forbidden fruit”.  Remember we are putting ourselves in the same league with the devil, when we gossip, potentially slandering someone. This is true whether it is in the workplace, community or the Church.

Other good verses to read are located in James 3:1-11. It helps us to realize that controlling our tongue is not easy. It requires prayer, the help of the Holy Spirit and our conscious effort and control.

To make our workplaces more peaceful and enjoyable places to work, controlling our participation in hurtful and destructive gossip is a positive step.