How do I know when I have crossed the line into gossip?

Psalm 15:1-3Who may worship in your sanctuary, Lord? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends.

Gossip is about someone else, and it often involves spreading unconfirmed information. Here, David highlights the importance of “speaking the truth” and being “sincere.” At times, giving information about someone else could be helpful to that person (for example, asking for prayer). Before sharing any tidbit with anyone, however, we should first check our motives: Do we have the other person’s best interests at heart, or are we just trying to enhance our status? We should also know that the information is true and not a rumor.

Proverbs 25:9-10When arguing with your neighbor, don’t betray another person’s secret. Others may accuse you of gossip, and you will never regain your good reputation.

In a heated discussion, we can be tempted to blurt out something that was told to us in confidence. That may score points in the argument, but it will betray our friend. So we should restrain ourselves from spreading information that is not ours to share.

Ephesians 4:25So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body.

We definitely should not lie. So spreading information we aren’t sure about, which includes hearsay and rumors, is always wrong—it could literally be a lie. But even true information may not be ours to pass along.

Philippians 4:8Now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

The focus of our thoughts and conversation should be whatever is “excellent and worthy of praise.”