Without wood a fire goes out; without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 26:20-22

Growing up I watched my fair share of Hee Haw shows on Saturday nights. I recall the words of one particular song that is relevant here. Four or five women stood around singing a little chorus:

Now we’re not ones to go ’round spreading rumors
No, really, we are not the gossipy kind
No, you’ll never hear one of us repeating gossip
So you’d better be sure and listen close the first time.

What do you do with gossip, rumors, and inuendo you hear? Do you spread it around or just let it go?

The trouble that a gossip stirs up cannot be minimized. Often people use gossip as ammunition to maliciously take down someone else. People in the church also use it for similar reasons.

But fortunately we can rise above it. We have a choice: (1) we can put out that fire of gossip when it comes our way or (2) we can repeat it. It’s much easier to do #2, and takes quite a bit more discipline to drop gossip on its head.

Still we have the choice.