An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire.(Proverbs 16:27)
To dig up evil is to constantly talk about something that has happened in the past to resurrect it. When we speak of things that are done with, we are holding accounts of evil (1 Cor. 13:5), and God tells us not to do this. This not only hurts the person that we are speaking about but it also hurts ourselves as well. By the judgments we have on others, we will be judged. We are not called to judge but to love. Jesus didn’t even come to condemn the world but to love and save. As Believers we are at certain times responsible to judge sin, however even that needs to be done with a heart of love and restoration towards people.
It is so easy to speak of someone else’s weaknesses and shortcomings. When it makes someone feel better about themselves by gossiping about another person, then that person who is gossiping is suffering from insecurity. Insecurity will cause many hurts and one of them is hurting other people through words spoken. I know because I dealt with this first hand. I was so insecure about myself and felt so much self hatred, that it made me feel better to criticize others because it took the spotlight off of my wounded self. When God healed me, I encountered no need to hurt others to benefit myself. Healing of one’s self is not only for that person who is healed, but also for those around that person. Psalm 133:1 says,”behold how good and how pleasant it is when brethren dwell together.” Healing brings unity in the body of Christ.
The enemy loves when we gossip. Life and death are in the power of the tongue. If we are not speaking God’s word then we need to learn discipline to be quiet. If we feel compelled to gossip or speak evil of others, then we need healing of our own wounds that has us bound. God is there to free and heal everyone. Seek Him and ask Him to reveal what it is that you need healed and allow His love and correction to apply to your situation. Let’s bring healing to the body of Christ, not division!
Pastor Michael Cannatello
lazarusministry.com
