There are reasons why people love to gossip. These reasons do not justify the sin of gossip but should rather caution us to avoid gossip when we find ourselves in such situations. Some of them are:
a) Problems: People generally gossip when they confront problems with others. Gossip is often the reaction of an offended heart. No problems, no gossip. At times problems may not necessarily be with others but with themselves, for there are times the real problem doesn’t exist in a situation but in perception. Of course, there are rare situations when people gossip even when there are no problems, only to create problems.
b) To seek comfort and attention from others: When people are hurt by someone what they often do is to try to seek comfort from others by gossiping about the offensive one. They want others to feel sorry for them.
c) To release bitterness: Gossip is a release of bitterness from one’s heart against someone. This release isn’t about “freeing from bitterness” but “spreading of bitterness”. In most cases, people gossip, not to get the right counsel in order to approach the problem, but to spread their bitterness to others.
d) To justify themselves: Those who gossip do so to justify themselves before others. When their ‘ego’ is under disrepute or under threat, people gossip to prove that they are right and good by defaming others.
e) To idle away the time: Some gossip to idle away their time. They are sluggards and idle talkers who relish gossiping about the affairs of other people—after all, gossiping is the best way to pass time. About such people the Holy Bible says, “Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to” (1 Timothy 5:13).
Those who know how to use their time wisely do not get into superfluous talk.
(To be continued.....)
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