A Busybody causes grief to the body of christ

 "But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters." 1Peter4:15

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. It's interesting that the Word of God associates a busybody with a murderer and a thief. This speaks to how dangerous a behavior it is.

How does one become a busybody? Idleness leads to being a busybody. We have heard the adage that idleness is the devil's playground and how true it is. Idleness opens the door to being a gossip and a talebearer. A busybody is also a gossip and a talebearer. This behavior causes strife among God's people.

A busybody will suffer the consequences for not minding their own business. A busybody meddles in other people's affairs. They pry into personal information of others. They comment and judge matters that don't concern them. They gossip their thoughts and feelings to others creating their own scenarios. They gather other people's opinions and gossip and pass it along to others including who said what.

What is the busybody's problem? What makes them engage in such behavior? They are in other people's business to compensate for not handling their own. There are things in their life that need tending to but, they won't deal with what needs their attention. They refuse to face issues of discontentment, disappointments, and problems in their personal lives. Some are resentful because of what God hasn't given them and it comes out in the form of making negative comments about the success, good fortune, or blessing of others.

Often, it is believed that only females engage in such behavior but, this problem is not exclusive to women. Some men are also busybodies.

The body of Christ suffers behind such behavior. Friendships are broken, divisiveness finds its way into the fellowship and the 'he said, she said' can never be sort out thereby causing all kinds of discord among brethren. Six things does the Lord hate and seven are an abomination unto him; we find included in that verse, one who sows discord among his brethren. God really abhors and hates that! (Proverbs 6:16-19)

Avoid engaging in such conversations with a busybody. Don't feed their curiosity. Refrain from giving them your opinions. Speak well of others when they speak critically of them. Leave them in such a situation where they think twice about coming to you with that stuff.

What they say about others they will say about you and spread it given time and opportunity. They are really friends to no one. Also, somewhere in the midst of all the gossip are lies meshed in.

Busybodies rarely stop what they do, but you can certainly stop them from coming to you!