Gossip? Me?

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Romans 1:29-31

The Bible is clear, gossip is wickedness and evil. As Christians we are to guard our tongues and keep from repeating gossip. But what about listening to gossip? Sometimes as Christians we think listening is okay as long as we don't repeat what we've heard.

Proverbs 20:19 says to "avoid a man who talks too much" in regard to gossip. So it is clear, we should not just guard our mouths but our ears as well. Not only that, but Proberbs 18:8 and 26:22 repeat the same warning, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." What we hear goes in our "inmost parts." Or in the words of computer programming, "Garbage in, garbage out." We need to guard what goes in us, to protect what comes out of us.

Think you've got this one down? Meet me over at Titus 2 in Action , where I am a guest contributor every other Wednesday, to see areas where you might need improvement.

“I Shot the Sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy”
I Shot the Sheriff, Bob Marley 1973

"I shot the Sheriff, but I did not shoot the deputy" sings Bob Marley in his 1973 hit song. I can't help but laugh, because it sounds like something I would say. "Yes, I admit that I did this bad thing, but I didn't do a worse thing." Or more likely, "Yes, I did that bad thing, but look what that person over there did. They are the bad guy!"

Why do we minimize our sins? Why do we negate the Biblical truths? Because the truth is, we don't really want to be sinners. We want to say we're really good people, and yes, we may have a few missteps, but nothing really big. Nothing bad like, you know, THAT guy over there. Nah, I sin a little, but I'm okay. I only need a little grace. Cause if my sins were BIG, God wouldn't forgive them, would he? Wouldn't I be a bad person?

The truth is, there is but one sin God doesn't forgive, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure, but I believe that means to reject the Holy Spirit and his efforts to get you to come to Christ. To reject God. Other than that, there is no sin that is too big for God's grace. By minimizing our sins, we not only are minimizing God's gift of grace, but are in fact raising ourselves up higher than we deserve. We are ALL sinners.

Why not embrace your inner sinner today? Why not say "yes, that whole wifely submission thing is impossible for me alone, and hard even with Jesus' help, that is why I need grace! That is why Jesus died for me, because I cannot get this one right." It's okay to admit it. We can't get it right alone. That's why Jesus died for our sins.

Keep striving to do better. But don't minimize your sins. Admit them, ask God to forgiven them, then work to change them. God's grace is big enough.

Musical Musings:
1. Do you admit you are a sinner, and in God's eyes no less a sinner than anyone else?
2. Why do you think we tend to minimize our sins?
3. Do you think there is anyone to sinful for God to forgive? Why?

Karaoke: Dear Lord, I am a sinner. Thank you for sending Jesus to die for my sins and forgiving me. I don't deserve it, but you did it anyway. Help me admit, confess and repent of my sings, so that I may be a new creation in Christ. Thank you, Lord! In Jesus Name, Amen.

Rock On: Still concerned that God can't forgive your sin? Read Luke 15:3-7, and discover the great joy in Heaven when a sinner comes to Christ.