“Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy; the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, Him I will not endure.” – Psalm 101:5
Once upon a time, I overheard someone speaking with another person. They were asking for prayer for someone, and then went on to say things to put them down. Oh, and, pray for them about that. Now, as it would happen, I knew that the things were not true. So, here is one person slandering another, but the curious thing is, they disguise it as something good: a prayer request. I’m sure we’ve all heard it; perhaps some of us have done it. People like to disguise slander and gossip as something else so it doesn’t seem so bad. But unfortunately, slander is still slander, gossip is still gossip, and bad is still bad.
Slander – the utterance of false charges or misrepresentations which defame and damage another’s reputation; a false and defamatory oral statement about a person.
Gossip – rumor or report of an intimate nature; a chatty talk, often detailing personal or sensational facts about others.
Gossip and slander seem pretty similar, except that slander is a lie and gossip is usually true (or mostly true). The point is, although God does call us to pray for others and to ask others to pray for us, He also tells us not to speak bad things about others. It does not change the nature of our conversation if we simply call it something else.
1Ti 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.
1Pe 4:14-16 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. (15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. (16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
Tit 2:1-6 But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine: (2) That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. (3) The aged women likewise, that they be in behavior as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things; (4) That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children, (5) To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed. (6) Young men likewise exhort to be sober minded.
Prov 10:18 He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.
Prov 11:9 An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.
Prov 17:9 He who covers a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates friends.
So, let’s not say hurtful things about others, even if we disguise it as something good. Instead, let’s pray for one another. Let’s encourage one another and speak things that are good and honest and bring glory to God, hope to the heart, and a smile to the face.
Heb 10:24 Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds.
Eph 4:29 Do not let unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
Prov 12:18 Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
Prov 15:30 A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.
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