The smile wears thin and the lies begin

"Gossip needn't be false to be evil - there's a lot of truth that shouldn't be passed around. "

~Frank A. Clark

Nowadays, I find people so into the lives of other people. It has been their hobby to talk about another person's affairs, situations, decisions, mistakes and a lot more. Which makes me wonder, why? Why are they taking pleasure in matters that are none of their business? I mean, yes, I have to admit that there are also times that I get to listen to some gossips about some people I know. And I really listen as if it's music to my ear. I cannot understand why I listen, but I know in my heart I don't pass it along.

Let me, take that back. There were instances that I am guilty of passing along gossips to some trusted people. And I am also guilty that sometimes I get to pass some gossips to another out of necessity... so that I'd have something interesting to share, for instance. For whatever reason, I am guilty. It doesn't make me happy nor proud of myself because I know it is so wrong. And I know in my heart that if someone would do the same to me, I will be deeply affected and will be badly hurt.

Maybe, it is our nature, human's nature to meddle on other people's life. It's weird and very petty. When we could always find a lot more sensible and useful things to do. Quoting Dolley Madison, "It is one of my sources of happiness never to desire a knowledge of other people's business," I hope to make it a point not to spread gossips anymore, no matter how true the story may be. Like come on! It is none of anyone's business anymore if a co-worker got pregnant, or the janitor was once accused of a crime (as long as you're not directly affected), or the supervisor is cheating on his girlfriend. Damn, these are just things we have nothing to do with anymore!

I am just bothered that it might become a fad or something. Worse, a hobby. Personally, I intend not to continue on tolerating people telling me any form of hearsay, anymore. I noticed that tolerating such things in my life makes me part of it. If I just listen, sure it's not just going to stay with me. It's going to come out because I already have a shared knowledge of something. Once, the topic is opened, I'd sure begin to talk about what I know. It's not right. Also, it's going to cause me to become judgmental. So, I hope I can gather all the strength I need to do what I should do. To put on brakes.

A bumper sticker motto expresses the goal of a campaign to curb gossip: “Put the breaks on loshon hora.” The movement began with Rabbi Chaim Feld in Cleveland, Ohio, who says the Bible forbids speaking words that hurt other people in any way. Loshon Hora is a Hebrew phrase for negative or cruel speech—an evil that causes untold damage.

Rabbi Feld says, “If you’ve never met Michael, and someone tells you he is a jerk, then Michael has been murdered for you, before you even met him.”

Someone has said, “When tempted to gossip, breathe through your nose.” That’s a good way to keep our mouths shut, but we also need a solution that gets to the heart of the issue.

The antidote to the poison of gossip is love, which neutralizes the toxin in our hearts before it escapes through our lips. The Bible tells us, “’You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ love does no harm to neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law” (Romans 13:9-10).

Whenever we’re tempted to pass along negative word about someone, even if it’s true, let’s seek God’s help in putting the brakes on gossip. Instead of loshon hora, let’s speak word of kindness and love.

- David McCasland