A perverse person sows strife, and a gossip separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28, TLV

Unintentional Strife Sowing is Real…     This might seem to be a blink proverb*. I mean, what follower of Jesus would intentionally sow strife or cause division with gossip? Is unintentional strife sowing and gossip even possible? Unfortunately, yes.

Sowing strife and spreading gossip can easily be hidden in “Christian-ese.” Have you ever been in a situation where someone shares a “prayer request” and proceeds to go into great detail about what someone may or may not have done? An ounce of discernment will probably give us a check in our spirit that something isn’t kosher. Generally speaking, if the prayer request takes longer than the prayer, something else may be going on.

Unforgiveness

Strife and gossip can manifest with unforgiven offenses and feelings of rejection. We can sow seeds of division without knowing it when we haven’t dealt with our own sins arising from the hurt caused by our brothers and sisters in Messiah. Sins like anger and revenge — yes, revenge.

Have you ever noticed? It seems easier to forgive people who aren’t close to us, or who aren’t followers of Jesus, than those we trust and love. Those offenses can actually hurt more because we feel they should know better.

This is why we have to be especially careful to forgive, forgive, forgive. Then, forgive. Seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22) is a real thing.

Fortunately, our Heavenly Father knows that we are made of dust (Psalm 103:14) — that we are frail and flawed. But, oh, how He loves us! And will keep us accountable.

We are able to take those hurts from our brothers and sisters in Messiah to Him in our Sacred Place, and in that place of safety and affirmation of His love forgive those hurts. Then we can move on, heal.

Likewise, if we have caused strife and have gossiped, we can repent in that Place as well. He may ask us to take responsibility for those sins, but He’ll be there to walk us through it in integrity. And that is a good thing.

Think More About It

Have we unintentionally sown strife or gossiped? How was that revealed to us?

Until tomorrow, may we sow shalom — peace– my friends.

… And at the same time, they also learn to be idle, going around from house to house—and not just idle, but also gossipers and busybodies, saying things they should not. 1 Timothy 5:13, TLV

When I looked up the word gossip, this familiar passage from Paul to Timothy showed up. It reminded me how idleness feeds gossip, and a common form of gossip can be found with social media. Shabbat Shalom!

*A “blink” proverb is a proverb that, on the surface, we don’t believe applies to us. However, on closer reflection, there are relevant insights and wisdom for us. Thanks to Dr. Raleigh Washington for coining the great terminology.