“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines 
the course of your life.” ~ Proverbs 4:23

“Matters of the Heart” is a weekly blog that deals with the deepest issues of the human heart, the issues we all face but sometimes don’t want to talk about. The heart is the programming center of our lives. What is programmed into our heart will affect every area of our lives. Learn how to examine your heart and how to program your heart for success.

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Recently, my husband and I were discussing the topic of confidentiality and our experiences with people whom we thought we could trust but who turned out to be untrustworthy. Sad to say–in my experience, at least–I’ve dealt with people who have betrayed a confidence and broadcast it in repeated episodes of gossip. My husband brilliantly called the practice of confiding in a gossip “confiding in a megaphone.”  Hence, the title of this blog post.

Scripture is replete with verses on the seriousness of gossip. Here are some of them:

___Exodus 23: 1 – “You must not pass along false rumors.

___James 4: 11 – “…do not slander one another.”

___Proverbs 11: 13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”

___Proverbs 16: 28 – “…a gossip separates close friends.”

___Proverbs 20: 19 – “A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.”

To gossip is to steal the good reputation of another. It is a form of murder and has wide-range ramifications. Perhaps you’ve heard the Jewish story called “The Tale of the Feathers.” If not, you can find it here.  It is a stunning example of the damage that gossip can do.

The next time you are tempted to gossip, ask yourself how you would feel if someone were to gossip about you. Decide today that you will not be a megaphone. Instead, you will be a true and trustworthy friend.

My Prayer for You Today: Lord Jesus, I ask that You would give my brother and sister discernment to know in whom they should confide and in whom they should not. I also ask that you would help us all to remember that trust is the foundation of friendship and that once trust is broken, it is virtually impossible to re-establish. So, make us trustworthy people who will keep a confidence when asked to do so. In Your precious Name I pray. Amen.

Now, it’s YOUR turn: Have you ever been betrayed by a gossip? If so, how did you handle the betrayal? Please share your insights in the Comments box below. Thank you!

TWEETABLE:  “ARE YOU CONFIDING IN A MEGAPHONE?” by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio @DrMaryAnnDiorio (CLICK TO TWEET).

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