Daily Devotions
Gossip & Pride
Reading for February 14: Numbers 16-18
Weekly reading for February 11-17: Romans 1-5
Title: Gossip & Pride
Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
Romans 2:1
The most common form of judging is gossip. We typically don't judge people to their face; that normally happens behind their backs.
But not only is gossip the most common form of judging, it’s also the worst form. When we judge someone to their face at least they have the opportunity to defend themselves or help us understand their position. When we gossip we eliminate that opportunity.
The motive behind gossip is pride. We're not seeking to help (otherwise we would be talking to them personally). We're gossiping for revenge, for spite, or for the entertainment value. And pride is the motivation in every case.
Humility, on the other hand, will speak about others out of a heart of compassion. Humility will motivate us to keep what we know about others private. We’ll seek to assign the best possible motives and do everything possible to protect reputations.
A humble man knows that anything he says about others could be said about him as well, and so he refrains from judgment (at least in part) because he wants God to judge him with mercy (see Matthew 7:1-5; James 4:11-12).
Forgive us, Father, for the gossip we have spread (especially against Your people). Protect our lips and our hearts that we might not incur judgment on ourselves.
