Tattletales!
by: kbyrn
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Word Count: 801
Tattletale!
Proverbs 26:20 - Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.
I remember as a child, when Christmas would roll around, my sister and I would pull a terrible trick on my parents. We thought it rather ingenious, but truth be told it really sucked the fun out of getting presents. My sister would go to mom and find out what they were getting me, then in turn I would go to mom and find out what they were getting her for Christmas. Later that night, up in our bedroom, we'd swap information. She was a good little informant, until she decided to rat on me! Let me tell you, that caused some serious anger flare ups. I was so angry at her because she went and tattletaled on me, and needless to say she never ratted on herself. When I tried to explain to my parents that not only had I done it, but she had done it as well, they didn't care to hear it. I was never so angry in my childhood as when that happened. Or at least I thought so.
All of that being said, the verse in Proverbs hits the nail on the head. If we aren't giving up secrets to tattle to each other, then there will be no cause for the anger that usually ensues shortly thereafter. How many times have you talked to a parent, sister, or friend and told them a juicy little piece of info, only for that secret to reach the person you told on and they knew the only other person that knew that information was you?! It is up to us as individuals to put a stop to the problem. As adults we are some of the biggest tattle tales on earth. We cause more conflict, more anger, more disputes among the family of God than anything else when we start gossiping about our fellow believers or family for that matter.
It damages our testimony as people who are supposed to be a separated people. Christ called us to be like him, not like the world. The world is full of strife, why bring it into the family of God? My mother used to ask us when we'd tattle, "Was it really worth it?". I think that applies to us as adults as well. Is telling a secret about someone else that confided in you, worth losing a friend over? Is it worth bringing down someone else to make yourself feel bigger and more important? The answer should be no! We can't serve the Lord with a pure heart if we are harboring a gossiping tongue in our mouth.
In the words of a childhood song, "Oh be careful little mouth what you say, oh be careful little mouth what you say, for the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little mouth what you say!". We really need to be careful, our mouth can inflict damage that is beyond our own comprehension and we do it so flippantly that it just becomes part of daily life. Back in medieval times, if a woman was caught being a gossip, they'd place an iron contraption over her head that locked in the back that had a pronged fork the went into the mouth. It was worn to stop the woman from wagging her tongue and speaking inappropriately. How many of us just today would need to have had one of those put on us because we aren't surrendering our tongue and what proceeds out of our mouth to God before our day begins? There's a consequence and a harm that is caused by the gossiping tongue. Proverbs 26:22 - The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly.
Let us remember that today as we go about our business. Let's make our business our own, stop gossip before it starts and give up our tattling before we can harm another person today.
God Bless
Kelly Byrn
2007
About the Author
Wife and mother of 4 from Iowa. Born again christian, Independant Fundamental Baptist and PROUD OF IT!
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