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“Speak Not Evil One of Another…”
Our government’s approach to the problem of illegal immigrants in Texas has been primarily to catch them, and send them back across the border into Mexico – within a few days, they cross the border again and are back at work. That procedure is like eating soup with a fork. There just are not enough men in law enforcement to come close to dealing with the number of illegal immigrants in that fashion. The problem has proliferated because of the evil of men who take advantage of those who are poor and come seeking work.
What would happen if a law was passed that made it illegal for people to work them and fined those who employed them? When you dry up the opportunities, you dry up the motive. None of which touches the plight of illegal immigrants who have such a difficult time in their country nor diminishes our sympathy for the poor – it merely addresses the problem in the most practical way.
What would happen if no one would listen to gossip, slander or tale bearing? I realize it puts a person in an awkward position when friends (?) start to gossip to them – how are they supposed to react? If every person would rebuke the gossiper, they might lose some who claimed to be their friends but gossip would cease – if there are no ears for gossip, there is no opportunity; hence, there is no incentive to spread rumors. “There would not be so many open mouths if there were not so many open ears,” (Bishop Hall). Of course, that doesn’t address the heart problem of the gossiper but it does address a cure for its destructiveness in a congregation – and I assure you, gossip is destructive to a congregation.
“Backbiting” comes from a word meaning “the use of the feet in tale bearing; hence to speak against or talk against.” There are two things to examine when clarifying the sin. The first is “content.” Some gossip takes the form of lies by false witnesses. But probably the most destructive is a perversion of truth – a truth told in such a way that it distorts the original meaning and intent of the statement. Consider Paul’s statements in Romans 3:3-8, as compared to 5:20. Some tale bearings are mere rumors – things heard but not substantiated. Then there are things that are true that may be passed on where the design is to hurt another – not all truths about another person need to be told. The second consideration is “intent.” Is the backbiter’s intent to help, to encourage, to build up or to hurt? Is the one telling the tale really concerned about the well being of another?
How do you cure tale bearing? What we first proposed was that without ears to hear the gossip, the gossiper would have no incentive to bear his tales. That takes care of a part of the problem – spreading of tales, talking about people in a denigrating way, defaming their character, etc., would cease. However, it does not cure the sin, for the sin originates with the gossiper. The slanderer talks about another in a way to denigrate, spread rumors, destroy a person’s reputation with others or sometimes even to say what might be true but is designed to make others think less of the person.
Gossip is essentially a heart problem that must be addressed by changing the heart. It necessarily means that the person must recognize the sin and take care of it in the heart first. Note Mark 7:20-21 – two of the things that come from the heart and defile the man are “blasphemy” and “evil speaking.” Repentance of the sin addresses the heart, for it means “a change of mind,” and when that change takes place the sin must cease.
If we truly understand that we are to be burden bearers who share in the loads of our brethren, we cannot be those who increase their burdens (cf. Galatians 6:1-2). We refer to Jesus statement in Matthew 7:12, as the “golden rule” and it requires that we speak about others as we would wish to be spoken about. Then in Matthew 22:38, Jesus stated what God has always demanded – love your neighbor as yourself. Loving your neighbor as yourself necessitates that you do not destroy his reputation.
No gossiper, that is, one who speaks evil of his brother will go to heaven (James 4:11-12). – Jim R. Everett
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