Remember as a kid hearing a story about one of your friends and believing it to be true because another friend told you it was. Even as adults..we hear stories and automatically believe it to be true..well because someone we trust told us it was true... Then we repeat it to another friend and then the cycle begins.. When does sharing information become gossip? If that wasn't enough...think about all the famous people stories we hear and repeat.. I seriously doubt that Eddie Murphy scared your mom's friend's friend in an elevator in Las Vegas, Laughlin, or some other casino.... I also seriously doubt that Richard Gere even owned a gerbil....are you getting the picture.. Shared information can easily turn into a harmful hurtful rumors that can destroy a person's reputation.
My Oldest daughter is in the 7th grade and believes everything she hears. She'll come home with some doozies... Last year she was convinced that her friend's dad was a drug runner... I asked her why she believed it and she said well Marina said so...How old is Marina I ask, oh she's 11 and how does Marina know....I don't know.... Of course her friend's dad was not a drug runner....he was an engineer at Boeing.... I remember my kid was so frustrated with me that I did not believe the story. Every week or so a new story will pop up and I of course being the evil mom I question the validity of the tale....
Today, I was accused of never believing any of her tales..... I was hoping she would ask why..... Finally the magic question was put out there not by my eldest but my youngest... "Mom, why don't you believe that Carrie is getting kicked out of school for drinking a beer at lunch?" It wasn't the question per say that I wanted to answer.. it was the "why don't I believe the story" I was more interested in answering.
The reason I don't believe these tales because it's gossip... "Oh, no I'm not gossiping, " my daughter proclaimed... Oh yes, sweetheart...you are.. Sometimes when you'll hear a story and you'll think it to be true...but if it did not come from the mouth of the person being talked about do not repeat it....Let's even go one more step..Don't repeat what someone tells you no matter who said it!!
Gossip is based on rumors. Proverbs 11:13 A talebearer (gossip) reveals secrets, But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.. Proverbs 16:28-29 A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends.
Gossip can destroy friendships, relationships, trust, and everything that is good. Proverbs 25:18 A man who bears false witness against his neighbor is like a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow... I just love Proverbs... I call it my fortune cookie wisdoms from the Bible....
I hope tomorrow my daughters will tell no tales....... we'll see...
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