5 Ways to End Gossip

"As it is written: There is no one righteous, no not one." Romans 3:10

Dumpster diving has been very beneficial to artsy people. Finding items that were someone else's trash for free and turning it into a creative piece of art that can then be sold. You can tell a great deal about a person from the things they throw away, but sometimes that info can lead you to some false assumptions.

If you were to go through my garbage right now, you would find a bunch of trash from McDonald's, a bunch of beer cans/bottles and those little plastic bottles of 80 proof alcohol, and a bunch of little broken items. Based on our garbage, it would be possible for somebody to put together enough evidence to convince people that we recently threw a wild party serving McDonald's food and lots of alcohol that led to some drunken revelry causing items to get broken in our home.

It would be difficult to make that evidence stick, however, since anyone who knows me could tell you that we do not like McDonald's and rarely ever eat there and that we do not drink and do not have parties with alcohol flowing around. If you really knew us well you would know that nothing in our home has broken recently so the broken bits had to come from somewhere else.

The problem is that we now have people from all over the world that feel they are experts about your life and they will use the least little item of condemnation that comes out of the trash to tear you down. Don't believe me? Post a photoshopped image of a celebrity or athlete or politician or Christian in a compromising situation and watch the attacks. Post a video filled with conspiracy theories about how a well-known pastor is supporting Chrislam (a Christian Islamic religion) and watch how fast it spreads.

There is little that we can do to stop this behavior in our world, but Christians need to make sure that they never take part in dumpster diving through someone's life. Don't be so naïve as to think that just because you read it or heard it that it must be true. Gossip is dangerous and often only partial truth at best. Benjamin Franklin said, "Believe none of what you hear and only half of what you see." 

The Word of God often warns that we should stay away from foolish people, learn knowledge, use wisdom, watch out and beware, etc. Ronald Reagan liked to use a Russian proverb: doveryai no proveryai (trust but verify). Christians tend to be more trusting of people, especially if they are saying something that we feel is true. This is a problem in the information world, because you can always find someone who is ready to scratch your itching ear.

Here are 5 ways to end gossip:

1. Don't dumpster dive - If you go looking for trash on someone you will probably find it. It may be true, but typically your own desire for it to be true blinds you to the facts. The problem with dumpsters is that they stink. If you don't want people to be grossed out by you, stop stinking. Stop looking for dirt on others. Instead do what you can to build others up.
2. Don't litter - We all know people who like to drop little bits of juicy gossip around in hopes that it will blow around the neighborhood. Nobody needs to know what you heard or saw or read about someone else at work, school, church, or the bar. Keep your neighborhood clean; don't litter gossip all over the place.
3. Wash often - The trouble with gossip is that it sticks to your chest and you are tempted to get it off your chest by sharing it with someone else. Why would you want to infect them with the same thing that is hurting you? Wash the garbage off by spending time with God and in His Word...daily or more often if necessary.
4. Pick up the trash - When you see litter on the side of the road, you should pick it up and dispose of it. To keep from making you dirty, you might need the right kind of equipment (rubber gloves or a grabber). The same thing should apply to gossip. Don't let it sit there for all to see. Often people think that you must agree with it if you don't dispose of it. Use the right tools (be polite, be practical, be prompt, and be persistent). Let people know you do not approve of such garbage and that you will not put up with it around you.
5. Confront the culprit - If you are tired of having trash tossed into your yard by a neighbor, you will probably have to confront them. If you are tired of hearing gossip, you will probably have to confront the gossiper. Any confrontation should be done in a Christ-like attitude...and don't pick the one story of a whip and turning over tables as your example. You want to confront them in a way that will not push them away from you. Your goal should be that of reconciliation with Christians and that of a Christ-like witness to all others.

What other suggestions do you have for ending gossip? Share in the comments below.