We Christians are so good about slamming non-Christians and telling them how wicked they are in their life-styles. Do you realize that Jesus NEVER did that to those who were lost? The only people whom Jesus slammed were the religious leaders who should know better. Jesus loved the lost into the kingdom, he did not scream at them and slam them in order to bring them into relationship with him.
Equating that context to today, Jesus would NOT be slamming gays or girls who have had abortions, but us hypocritical Christians who claim to be loving, but through our words and actions demonstrate our hate to the world. Do you know anyone who was ever been converted to Christ because a Christian screamed at them, “You’re a fag and you’re gonna burn in hell;” or, “You baby killer!”
Therefore, I am taking a swipe at us Christians, because we participate in and contribute to the most insidious, hate-filled sin of all: gossip.
What makes gossip so destructive is that we do not take it seriously. It is a sin that destroys relationships, destroys the church, destroys our relationships with non-Christians, numbs our hearts and minds, and kills our relationship with Christ. Satan does not even lift a finger, but we do Satan’s work.
Christian gossip always comes to us with a façade of love, but is actually nothing but hate-filled gossip. “Oh, did you hear about John? He really needs our prayers. He went out and cheated on his wife…” It is as though if we add the word “prayers” to our gossip, it is no longer gossip.
I will confess. I have participated in this gossip, to my shame. It is difficult to avoid.
We gossip about parishioners who have divergent opinions. We gossip about family. We gossip about friends. We gossip about neighbors.
Even if we don’t participate in gossip about parishioners and neighbors, how many of us have missed out on the opportunity to participate in gossip about public figures, from President Clinton to President Bush, to Jane Fonda to Tom Cruise. Those are real people, not caricatures. Just because they are not a part of our life does not give us the right to gossip about them.
We gossip because we like to have information that makes us feel superior to another individual.
Unfortunately, gossip gives us too high a value of ourselves: Look at what the scriptures say, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23
We are no better than the gays or girls who have had abortions. In fact, we are worse. We should know better, yet we still, every day, take advantage of every opportunity to demonstrate our superiority by tearing another down.
We need to repent and become a church of love.
