09 December 2010

Purgative speech

Some people are jerks for not blogging any more. No need to mention names. At least we have our memories:

"Maybe it is gossip, but I need to vent." No you don't. You don't need to say evil things about people. You are not a pressure cooker. It is not building in you. Gossip does not "get things off your chest." It puts things into your heart. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a man unclean.

There is purgative speech. It is called confession. It unburdens a man. It is never about annoying co-workers. It is about the penitent's lack of love and patience. It is not about the inequity of life. It is the envy of the penitent. The difference between gossip and confession is the difference between date rape drugs and anesthesia.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I knew who you were talking about even before I saw the link. I feel the same way too. I keep checking his blog in hopes that he will return.

It's these kinda guys you can't get enough of and wish they would speak up and there are others who you wish would just shut-up.

Rev. David M. Juhl said...

As always, genius.

Monique said...

He has been a great advisor and blessing to our family on more than one occasion.

He's the real Mccoy.

Leah said...

Gossip does not "get things off your chest." It puts things into your heart. It is what comes out of the mouth that makes a man unclean.

That is soooo true.

Martin Luther has some very convicting words in his exposition of the eighth commandment in his Large Catechism

"Speaking false witness is obviously an action of the vocal tract.... when you get to know about a sin, let your ear become its grave and shovel the dirt in on top of it...
We are to use the tongue only to speak the best we can about everyone, covering his sins and weaknesses by presenting them in the best light possible and by veiling them behind his more honorable and attractive qualities."

Unknown said...

Thank you. Gossip is something we, as women, seem to be more prone to than men. It is one of those areas which needs to be made sin and forgiven. But thank God there is forgiveness!

Since I recently had my first child - a girl! - I was thinking about gossip in light of her life. This is not something I want to train her in, which is why I'm SO glad my husband is always asking me, "Now, why are you telling me this?" or "Why did you let that person tell you that?"

In light of the eighth commandment (mentioned by Leah), think of much more enjoyable it would be to practice presenting people in the best light possible. Thank you for this post!