A gossipy world makes me keep my mouth shut

 

Since my mom’s death I have spent quite a lot of time withdrawing from the people around me and observing how the world works.  Generally, this action makes me a tad bit depressed but in my current situation, it’s a bit freeing. 

Upon my time of quietness, I have observed something that makes my stomach churn.  As a Christian, it makes me sick and I get so frustrated. The people that Gossip.  I am certainly not freed of guilt in this area but I would say that I work my butt off to make sure nothing escapes my lips.  I was in a friend of mine’s room and I listened as she made a phone call describing for a long time how this lady did this, or why she won’t do that.  She talked about how she felt her life was bad because she seemed like the kind of person who stayed out all night partying.  This confuses me.  Why should this woman be the point of attack behind her back because her lifestyle is different from that of another? 

I went to lunch with a couple of friends of mine and listened as they talked and made fun of another person because of their personal view of watching sex in movies.  I will admit that I didn’t stick up for her and just succumbed to quietness and that isn’t something I want to turn into a habit.  However, I was so frustrated.  So so frustrated.  this is why.

Jesus calls us to love one another.  He calls us to carry each other's burdens.  To help each other out, to be a family.  A real family lives to love and support one another.   A real family shouldn’t put each other down when they talk about its members.  I am hesitant to ever share anything in my life with anyone in this world, or my church because I don’t want my personal business that I share with someone to be talked about. For a girl with trust problems, its hard enough as it is. Why do we gossip?  What is it about our lives that are so dull that we must talk about another’s?  I am so tired of not being able to tell anyone what i struggle with for fear of someone else talking about it behind my back.. I know that we live together as a community.  Whether small scale or large, and my story can become apart of your story and your story can become a part of my story and that isn’t what I'm arguing against.  I’m arguing for the love and respect of my peers, my church body, my friends.  It just seems right to not blab someone else’s business.  Cuz i mean, if I wanted them to know.. Wouldn’t I have told them?

 

--Jackie