Busy Body or busy body?

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​"But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or an evil-doer or as a meddler in other men's matters."   1 Peter 4:15 (ERV)

​There are consequences for gossiping about others.  Passing along information you either heard, or that was told directly to you in confidence will costs you something.  

​Gossipers, tattlers, and busy bodies are dangerous people! They cause injury to others and generally they dislike or hate the ones they talk about. Let's visit a story in the Old Testament where gossiping became dangerous.

In 1 Samuel 22:7, 17, 21, we read of an account when David was running from King Saul. Apparently, David was in Nob and Doeg, the Edomite, who was over Saul's servants, told Saul that he saw David going to Nob to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub, to inquire of the Lord from him. He went on to say that Ahimelech gave David food and the sword of Goliath, the Philistine.

Saul now feels as if Ahimelech has conspired against him because he helped David and threatens Ahimelech with death. Saul goes mad and orders that the priests of the Lord be killed because they helped David. Doeg the Edomite killed not only the priests of the Lord, 85 men who wore the linen ephod, but also their wives, children, nursing infants, oxen, donkeys and sheep with the edge of the sword. What a blood bath! This was all because Doeg gossiped, tattled, and meddled in the business between King Saul and David! Many lost their lives that day!

Don't minimize the act of gossiping for it is dangerous, and injurious. The damage it does cannot be undone. We forget that God is the silent listener to every conversation we have with others. "And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account" (Hebrews 4:13).

Remember, careless talk will always lead you into sin. "Set a guard over my mouth LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips" (Psalm 141:3). This needs to be the prayer request we make to the Lord daily in order to refrain from speaking evil about people. 

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear"  (Ephesians 4:29).

The tendency is to believe that being a busy body, tattler, or gossiper is what 'Women' do; not all together true. There are men who do much of the same and in my opinion, it's even more disgusting.!