“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone who talks too much.” So, why is gossip so bad? We’re just telling stories about other people. If they’re true, what’s the problem? If they’re not true, but you don’t KNOW it’s not true, that’s obviously different. So I looked through Scripture for this: Why is gossip bad? Here’s what I found.
1. It possibly betrays a confidence (Prov. 11.13; 20.19)
2. It can create barriers in relationships (Prov. 16.28)
3. It can increase or lengthen conflict (Prov. 26.20)
4. It can change people’s attitudes negatively (Prov. 18.8; 26.22)
Gossip doesn’t create strong and healthy relationships, even between the two people sharing, because it even breeds negativity between them, not comaraderie. Each one starts to wonder what the other is saying about THEM to others. Even if the stories are true, the stories cause us to think less of other people, at the very least.
The deal is this, though: it’s so common we barely bat an eye, either to be the giver or the receiver.