"Did you know?"

 

I wish as I write this I could say that I never gossiped.  Oh, the nasty, nasty delight of being able to tell something so interesting about another seems to be something humans love to do.  How many times have you shared a 'bit' of information that did not have to be shared or even should have been shared?

None of us would own that we are gossips. Or that we delighted in the telling of the 'story'.  Both men and women are equally guilty of this horrible trait.  I have sat in restaurants, coffee shops, air ports and I have discovered that the conversations that take place around me are people talking about other people. Often it is a critique of a job, a marriage, a 'friendship'.   "Did you know....?" seems to be an easy and seeming innocent intro to the path of talking poorly of another.   "I just found out...." is another opening.  "I have been thinking ...." or " I just want you know that...." generally leads to one spewing a negative about another.  Can you relate?  What was your last conversation about?

In this journey of 'aging' I am discovering that opinions that differ from mine are fodder for gossip.  Fear of things not going my way is another base for me to speak poorly of another.  Control probably could be lumped into that last sentence but my need for life to go my way, on my terms, in my time will loosen my tongue and reveal my heart. 

As a Christ follower I wish I could say that I always took my frustrations to Him and ran them over His grid of fairness and grace.  I wish I could say that I was willing to bring my fears of life not going my way to Him instead of trying make situations go in my direction via manipulation or demands.  I wish I could say that I trusted Him to make things right in relational issues.  But I can't.  

What I can say as I end today's reflections is that I am working on this nasty trait.   I so do not want to be known by negative, critical words that are fueled from my heart. 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:14