General Daily Devotion: Our Daily Bread, 19 Feb 03

Our Daily Bread, Radio Bible Class ^ | 19 Feb 03 | Dave Branon

[xzins]

February 19, 2003

It Takes Just One

Read: Ephesians 4:17-32

A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends. —Proverbs 16:28

Bible In One Year: Deuteronomy 10-12

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In 1520, one person stepped off a Spanish ship in Mexico and caused the deaths of thousands of people. The man was a soldier under the leadership of Pánfilo de Narváez, and he had smallpox. The soldier didn't know it, but wherever he went he exposed the citizens to a new disease. As a result of the ensuing smallpox epidemic, many thousands of Mexican citizens died.

One man. That's all it took. His contact with the unsuspecting Mexican people led to a horrible, painful scourge. The devastating effects of that disease traveled from one person to another, infecting a large segment of the population.

The spread of any deadly disease is similar to the spread of a spiritual sickness that sometimes strikes churches—the disease of gossip and unedifying words (Ephesians 4:29-32).

It's not unusual for a happy and well-adjusted congregation of people to be infected after just one person introduces gossip. Soon dissension is running rampant among people who had been eagerly working together, and the church finds itself spending more time on damage control than on ministry.

Each of us should be careful not to spread the sickness of gossip. Instead, let's use our words to strengthen and encourage one another. —Dave Branon

A careless word may kindle strife,
A cruel word may wreck a life;
A timely word may lessen stress,
A loving word may heal and bless. —Anon.

To silence gossip, refuse to repeat it.

[xzins]

Our Daily Bread ping

prayer, devotion, fellowship, reflection

Lord God, may we be careful of any dissension that we would sow in our churches, and especially that sown by a wayward tongue. In a world where so many are dying without You, focus us on such unity that the gospel message will be backed up by the testimony of a body of loving Christians. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

[Salvation]

**To silence gossip, refuse to repeat it.**

I could bump this each and every day -- and will BTTT for today!

[xzins]

Do you get those emails that ask you to pass this or that message on to 10 people in your address book?

It spreads exponentially if actually followed....theoretically the whole cyberworld would know in a matter of days.

The same with gossip. If 2 tell 2 tell 2 etc., it can be thoughout a church in a matter of hours. No wonder God hates it.

[anniegetyourgun]

The tongue is a very dangerous weapon, indeed. I plead with the LORD to hold mine. Been through enough of this stuff in various churches over the decades, I can smell it coming down the hall. When will we ever learn.....

[Nancie]

Thanks for this, Pastor. Most instructive. It goes back to the discussion of a few days ago about not what we put in our mouths, but what comes out. Jesus said: "The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and those defile a man."

Gossip as defilement?

Yes, for those I hurt when I gossip, but gossip defiles me, too. Something I need to remember when I talk when I shouldn't.

[Dust in the Wind]

Flaming tongue bump.

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[xzins]

it defiles me, too.

Bearing false witness against a neighbor, does not necessarily mean that YOU initiate the untruth. I also applies to those who "carry" or "bear" the false tale.

Gossip is a violation of holiness.

[TrueBeliever9]

In 1520, one person stepped off a Spanish ship in Mexico and caused the deaths of thousands of people. The man was a soldier under the leadership of Pánfilo de Narváez, and he had smallpox. The soldier didn't know it, but wherever he went he exposed the citizens to a new disease. As a result of the ensuing smallpox epidemic, many thousands of Mexican citizens died.

[Nancie]

When I said hurt, I meant the hurting of the one about whom the gossip was about. Gossip is insidious in that it makes judgments while feeding the ego as in a "I know something you don't" scenario.

All in all, bad stuff.

[xzins]

I agree with you Nancie.

Even though we might not be the originators of the gossip, when we pass it on, it hurts us.

[xzins]

Awesome thought for this time, isn't it, True?

[snerkel]

Thank you. I needed to hear that more than you know.

[xzins]

Hi Snerk.

How's it goin'?

[CARepubGal]

Thanks! Gossip is pernicious and destructive.

[snerkel]

Evening xzins! Things are going great. :)