Juicy Morsels

There is little debate that “there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins” (Ecclesiastes 7:20). Even the most godly Christians are quick to concede that “we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2). Thankfully, when it comes to imperfect people engaging in imperfect fellowship the Bible tells us “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

Unfortunately though, the gossips among us make it their aim to neutralize this divinely sanctioned “oil of love”, which God provides to grease the gears of Christian unity. These perverse and selfish personalities whisper and mutter as they steady the spotlight on any hint of imperfection to leverage others’ shortcomings into something truly demonic (James 3:14-16). What would otherwise be forgiven and forgotten is protracted and exacerbated by the work of these satanic emissaries (2 Timothy 2:23-26). “For lack of wood the fire goes out,” the Bible says, “and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases” (Proverbs 26:20).

While Christ works to establish love and harmony among his people, the “whisperer” toils to “separate close friends” (Proverbs 16:28). The latest gossip may be a kind of “delicious morsel” to the twisted appetite (Proverbs 18:8), but we would be wise to build up a strong distaste for the kind of private conversations that do so much to tear apart what Christ gave his life to bring together.