Talebearing

I am trying to clean up little traits of character in my own life and these different topics are helping me a lot.  Hope they are doing the same for you.  This morning the thought came to me that even little things that we tell sometimes hurt people and I don't want to be guilty of hurting anyone.  I know that criticism hurts too, very much, sometimes to the point where we really get discouraged and can't function in that area any more or don't want to.  It breaks our spirits when we feel condemned.  We don't want to be responsible for breaking anyones spirit, sometimes it will destroy their will to do good, especially children, but it does that to many, not just children, but children are most vulnerable.

Proverbs 11:9  "The hypocrite with his mouth destroys his neighbor."

Proverbs 11:13  "A talebearer reveals secrets, but he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter."

This is how we destroy people and also how a faithful person can help by concealing what is going around, we can stop the gossip with us.  I know that I don't want to destroy my neighbor.  I have a little experience about that.

We live in our Motorhome in an RV park and my neighbor looks exactly like I remember the thief looked like that broke into my home a couple of years ago.  Stole all my electronic equipment and some money.  I felt really uneasy having him for my neighbor but the longer I'm here the more I don't think he is the one.  But I don't know.  I haven't told anyone except my son and he needed to know because the uncle of the boy that robbed me came in my back door in my home and didn't know that I had a German Shepherd dog and the dog took him out in a hurry.  So if it is him, I have a reason to be scared of him and his family, but I really don't think it is.  I wouldn't want to ruin his reputation here in the park.

Proverbs 12:18  (last part)  "The tongue of the wise promotes health."  I want to be healthy.

Proverbs 13:3  "He who guards his mouth preserves his life, but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction."  I want my life to be preserved too.

Years ago I was having trouble with my legs going numb after a little bit of walking and some lady told around that there was nothing wrong with me and that I was just making it up.  I finally went to the doctor and I was in bad shape nerve wise in my abdomen and after surgery, I walked nearly at a run for years.  I was always a fast walker anyway and was told by friends who were with me to slow down.  The gossip really hurt because I am not a pretender at all, if I am ill or hurting, I never make it up, I find out what is wrong and deal with it.  I am so sorry that people need to find excuses for not dealing with their own feelings but instead make stuff up to cover their own hateful feelings.  Sort of like the fanatic, huh?

Proverbs 21:23  "Whoever guards his mouth  and tongue keeps his soul from troubles."  O, how true that is.  There is enough trouble in this world without us associating with trouble.  It's good to stay away from gossipers and troublemakers, don't you think?  I want to end this study with the following verse from:

Proverbs 25:11  "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."  Let's make sure that our words are fitly spoken all the time.  It might even be a good idea to mull the thought over before speaking it, what do you think?  A great study on talebearing and criticism.  I learned to watch my speech very closely, did you?  My desire is to be like Jesus and I am sure He never spoke a hurtful word.  He did tell the Pharisees what they were like but it wasn't done in anger, it was always in love hoping that they would reform, but most of them didn't.  So if I need to rebuke someone, it better be in love or not done at all.  That's what I have learned today.  Grandma Joan