How Deadly Is Gossip? Ready for a Revolution?

[Because I published two stories about the "Gossip-Free Movement" in August, I received an email from Pastor Kevin Hester thanking me and asking me to let my readers know about the "Gossip-Free Revolution." (Hey, it is #9 on God's Top Ten List!) So here is Pastor Hester's letter.]

2008 has drawn quickly to a close and it is time for us to do as we often do and begin reflecting on the year's blessings, on new goals we would like to set, and areas of our lives where we may need to make changes this year.

During 2008 I challenged my church and this nation to go “Gossip Free”. That challenge was picked up by the major national news media and many lives were impacted. I heard from people all across this nation whose lives have been hurt, devastated, and in some cases completely destroyed by gossip.

One lady from the Eastern part of our nation confided that she and her son have been isolated and ostracized by an entire community of people because of something her ex-husband (her son’s father) had done. The young man has lost all the friends he had and everyday on the school bus and at school he is subjected to cruel gossip and isolation by his peers. His mother no longer feels welcome amongst her “church family” because the gossip has even been spread there.

This mother and son have both been hurt by events that occurred within their family. His mother has spent years fighting in defense of her son and now when they have finally won their fight and when they are in desperate need of rest, encouragement and a lifting up from those around them they are being further devastated by something that most people probably view as harmless entertainment: gossip.

I also know a young lady who has been isolated from her entire family because of the gossip spread by one of her siblings. This sibling confessed to gossiping about her out of jealousy and a need to be accepted. She is not aware though of how deeply those words have affected her relationships with her other family members.

Gossip is much more destructive than most people realize. That is one major reason that I began the Gossip Free Movement. As Christians, we are to show people that Jesus Christ is the way, but instead our gossip is getting in the way. We need to realize how seriously God takes gossip. It made His top ten list (the 10 commandments) coming in at number nine.

As followers of Jesus Christ we have an even greater responsibility to walk in the example that Christ set for us and to love people with our words. From individuals and small businesses, to major corporations, people everywhere have seen the devastation that gossip is causing and have chosen to take a stand against it in their families, workplaces, churches and communities.

Presidential candidates, professional athletes, and an American Idol Finalists have even been seen and photographed wearing the white GOSSIPFREE.ORG bracelet. These people responded to my eight day challenge to have a “New Beginning” in the area of gossip. But even with all the people who have seen the need for change and who have made the choice to take a stand against gossip, I can clearly see that this challenge cannot end there.

During 2008 we saw a presidential election that was filled with vicious gossip as the two candidates dug up dirt to share with the American people in order to sow a seed of doubt about the other candidate. A new television series called “Gossip Girl” aired and was made popular. Multiple web sites were started and dedicated to the sole purpose of spreading gossip. As we have taken a stand against gossip, the some have taken up a cause for it.

In our country many have a tradition during this time of year of setting New Year’s Resolutions. I have found a list of the top ten resolutions..

1. Fit in fitness
2. Tame the bulge
3. Quit Smoking
4. Enjoy life more
5. Quit drinking
6. Eliminate debt
7. Learn something new
8. Help others
9. Get organized.
10. Spend more time with family

Perhaps, you found your favorite New Year’s Resolution in this list. It’s likely if you did that it will probably be there next year because we have a bad habit of abandoning our New Year’s Resolutions before January is blown away by our blustery winter winds. I want to continue the gossip free challenge and even renew the challenge with those who have already begun. However, I am not going to ask you to make it a New Year’s Resolution because I believe that we need much more than a Resolution in this area. What we need is a Revolution!

A resolution is only resolving or intending to do something, but a revolution is a determination to turn something around completely no matter the personal cost to us. It is with this sort of resolve that we must set out to make ourselves “Gossip Free.” It is with this sort of resolve that we will revolutionize our families, our churches, our workplaces, and even our great nation in the year 2009.

Please join me in an eight day challenge to go “Gossip Free” and start a Revolution! For more information about the nation wide challenge please visit us at gossipfree.org. or contact Pastor Kevin Hester at The Sanctuary.

I do hope my readers will participate in this Gossip-Free REVOLUTION!

APRIL LORIER - So. California. An award-winning poet, inspirational author and speaker. A survivor of both child abuse and adult domestic abuse, April inspires women to be all that God designed them to be! She first gained recognition as a children's rights crusader while successfully fighting for the passage of the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA), which was signed into law by Ronald Reagan. Her book God's Battered Child: Journey From Abuse to Leader is available on her blogs and in online stores.