THE BLADE WITH TWO EDGES AND THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF GOSSIP

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” — Proverbs 18:21

Language is one of humanity’s greatest gifts. With it we pray, we teach, we heal, and we build nations. But that same tongue can also become a weapon. The most common form of that weapon is gossip, then treachery follows.

Gossip is the passing of information about a person that is not present, often with the aim of judging, entertaining, destroying or smearing of image with intent to gaining something. It may appear harmless. We call it “gist,” “update,” or “just letting you know.” But the Bible and human experience both testify to one truth: gossip is destructive. It destroys the person being spoken about, it destroys the person speaking, and it destroys the person listening that acts without thinking. Worst of all, when people use gossip to attract favour, they trade their integrity for temporary gain and lose both eventually.

I. THE DESTRUCTION TO THE PERSON BEING GOSSIPED ABOUT
The first casualty of gossip is reputation.

A reputation takes years to build and seconds to destroy. Proverbs 22:1 states,
_“A good name is more desirable than great riches.”_
Gossip steals that name. It does not matter whether the story is true, half-true, or completely false. Once it is spoken, it begins to work.

Gossip isolates. The moment a story circulates, people begin to act differently. The greetings become cold. The invitations stop coming. The person is judged in rooms they are not in to defend themselves. This was the danger we saw in the case of Simi. For 8 months the compound concluded she was a “runs girl” because of her 9:45PM return. Our gossip almost buried a daughter that was sacrificing for her sick father.

Beyond isolation, gossip can destroy destiny. A politician can lose an election. A student can lose trust. A leader can lose followers. A marriage can break. All because of words spoken in a corner. The person gossiped about bleeds in silence, and often the wound never fully heals even after the truth comes out.

II. THE DESTRUCTION TO THE GOSSIPER
We assume the gossiper is safe because they are not the target. That is a lie.

First, gossip corrupts the heart of the gossiper. You cannot continually speak evil and remain pure. The mind that is fed with other people’s faults becomes suspicious, bitter, and critical. You begin to see evil everywhere because that is all you talk about. James 3:6 calls the tongue “a fire, a world of evil.” The gossiper is the first to get burnt.

Second, gossip destroys credibility. The person you gossip to today will gossip about you tomorrow. Proverbs 20:19 warns,
“A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid anyone that talks too much.”
No wise leader, employer, or friend will trust a known gossiper. You may gain a moment of attention, but you lose long-term honour.

Third, gossip invites spiritual consequences. Romans 1:29 lists gossip alongside murder, deceit and malice. When we use our mouth to tear down what God is building in another person’s life, we stand against God Himself not the person, and you figure it out, you vs God Almighty in a boxing ring.

III. THE GREATEST DANGER: THE LISTENER THAT ACTS WITHOUT A SECOND THOUGHT
The most dangerous person in gossip is not even the one talking. It is the one listening and acting immediately. This is so because, if there are no listiners, gossip will naturally starve to death.

A listener that believes and acts on gossip without verification becomes both judge and executioner. He hurts himself first, because he makes decisions based on half-truths and one sided story. He cuts off allies, rejects helpers and votes against his own progress. Like we almost did, he can push away the very person God sent to lift his own community.

He also hurts others. One unchecked story can divide a religious house, scatter a family, break friendly unions and ruin a career. The listener becomes the amplifier. The fire that started as a spark becomes a forest fire in his hands.

This is especially dangerous when gossip is used to attract favour.
“If I expose this person, maybe I will be noticed.”
“If I bring this leader down, maybe I will rise.”
This is a covenant with destruction. The person that promotes you because of gossip will also demote you because of gossip. You cannot build a house on slander and expect it to stand.

IV. THE ANTIDOTE: WISDOM, TRUTH AND RESPONSIBILITY
How then do we overcome this?

The pattern of Exodus 17 gives us the answer. When Moses’ hands were lifted, Israel won. When they fell, Israel lost. Gossip makes the hands of leaders, families and communities fall. Truth, prayer and direct confrontation hold them up.

Before we speak or forward anything, we must ask three questions:
1. Is it true? Do I have facts or am I repeating assumptions?
2. Is it necessary? Will this information build or destroy?
3. Is it kind? Would I say this if the person were standing here?

If the answer is no, then silence is wisdom. Matthew 18 also teaches us: if you have an issue with someone, go to the person first, not to the public.

CONCLUSION
Gossip is a blade with two edges. It cuts the one it is thrown at, and it also cuts the one throwing it.

As a people seeking political emancipation and unity, we cannot afford it. We have one voice in the Senate. We have one name in the market. We have one future. If we spend that future spreading stories, we will wake up with nothing but ruins.

Let us choose to be builders, not breakers. Let us be Aaron and Hur to hold hands up for victory; let us be the generation that holds up hands, not the generation that throws stones.

Because one day, we will all give account for every idle word. And on that day, may it be said of us:
“They spoke life. They chose truth. They protected their own.”

Death and life are still in the power of the tongue. Choose life.
I’m not done with this yet, more patience, more reading and we’d soon be there. Read on.

THE CUP THAT FILLS ITSELF
On Treachery, Gossip, and Backbiting

“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” — Proverbs 16:28

You keep going from house to house.
Flat to flat.
Street to street.
Group chat to group chat.

Not to build.
Not to heal.
Not to comfort.
Not to encourage
Not to reconcile.
But to bring someone or some people down.

To what profit is all of these?

1. THE PROFIT OF DESTRUCTION IS BORROWED
Treachery gives a temporary high.
For a moment you feel important, you feel great and then you say; “I know what they don’t know.”
For a moment you feel powerful and declare “I can move people with my words.”
For a moment you enjoy watching someone stumble, fumble and grumble in frustrations.

But that joy is a rented one. It expires.

You are trading your name, your peace and your future for applause that will forget you tomorrow and most probably, before tomorrow.
Ecclesiastes states “there is nothing new under the sun.”_ Every generation that walked this road of backbiting ended in shame.

2. “IT’S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME, YOUR CUP WILL BE FULL”
God is not in a hurry, but He is not blind, neither is He deaf.

Every lie is a drop.
Every gossip is a drop.
Every secret meeting to destroy is a drop.

Galatians 6:7 “A man reaps what he sows.”
Proverbs 26:27 “Whoever digs a pit will fall into it.”

When that cup is full, three things will happen:
1. Your credibility dies — No wise person will build with someone known for tearing down.
2. Your own story comes out — The same mouths you fed will one day feed on you.
3. You harvest what you planted — Loneliness, betrayal and doors that refuse to open.

The people you pushed down may rise leaving you down. You may need them very direly tomorrow. But the hands that pushed them will be remembered for the wrong reason.

3. THE BETTER USE OF YOUR FEET AND YOUR VOICE
Imagine if that same energy was used differently:

House to house to settle quarrels.
Flat to flat to encourage a tired leader.
Street to street to hold up hands instead of throwing stones.

That is profit that pays in this life and the next.
That is the Exodus 17 life — where you become Aaron and Hur, not the Amalek, Haman or Samballat.

IN CONCLUSION:

TURN WHILE THERE IS STILL TIME
This is not to shame you. This is to wake you.

God sees the tears of the one you’re talking about.
And God also sees you. He’s calling you back.

Stop. Repent. Redirect.
Because the cup is getting filled.
But there is still time to pour it out and start filling a new one — with truth, with honour and with a building spirit ¹.

“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up.” — Ephesians 4:29

You were not made to be a demolition crew in your community.
You were made to be a builder.

Choose building. The reward lasts longer.

I am Dr Frank Peter Ombugadu still on at least 3 People Every Day