Today’s wisdom comes from Proverbs 16:28.
“A perverse man spreads dissension, and a gossip divides close friends.”
The verse highlights two destructive behaviors: spreading dissension and dividing close friends. A perverse person, driven by ill intentions, enjoys creating chaos and conflict. He thrives on seeing others at odds. On the other hand, a gossip subtly erodes the bonds of friendship and community. Gossip works like a poison, infiltrating relationships that once stood strong.
The passage ties the two men together: a perverse man and a gossip. Gossip is more than idle chatter; it’s harmful talk about others that can cause significant damage. It’s the act of sharing unnecessary or private information with people who don’t need to know it. When we gossip, we sow seeds of discord and division among people.
Here is a great test about whether you are gossiping. If you are telling private, hurtful information to another, then ask if the other person really needs to know it, or whether you just feel the need to tell it. If the other person is not a part of the problem or a part of the solution, then it is just gossip.
In closing, remember, “He who gossips to you, will gossip about you.”
I’m Lonnie Davis
And these are thoughts worth thinking.