The old television show Hee-Haw had a humorous segment with four women called the Gossip Girls singing something like this\u2026<\/p>\n
“Now, we’re not ones to go ’round spreadin’ rumors,
\nWhy, really we’re just not the gossipy kind,
\nNo, you’ll never hear one of us repeating gossip,
\nSo you’d better be sure and listen close the first time!”<\/p>\n
Pretty funny, huh?<\/p>\n
Gossip can have many sides. In fact some gossip can be good, some bad, and some ugly.<\/p>\n
Good Gossip Bad Gossip<\/strong> This type of gossip can be harmful and hurtful. Bad gossip is when you have to abruptly stop a conversation when the person being talked about comes into the room. When you are afraid to say it to a person\u2019s face, it can\u2019t be good to repeat.<\/p>\n Ugly Gossip<\/strong> This type of gossip can seem quite impersonal, unless you are the target of such maliciousness. School bullies are using this technique on kids they don\u2019t like, resulting in many young people committing suicide. They even have a term for it called \u201cbullycide.\u201d<\/p>\n No wonder the Bible says, \u201cA troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends (Proverbs 16:28 – NLT)\u201d and \u201cWhat dainty morsels rumors are\u2014but they sink deep into one’s heart (Proverbs 18:8 – NLT).\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0A friend shared this acronym with me and I try to \u201cthink\u201d about it when I speak of others.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Since someone shared it with me and I\u2019m sharing it with you, let\u2019s just say this is some good<\/strong> gossip you can share with anyone who tries to share bad <\/strong>gossip with you \u2013 to keep rumors from getting ugly.\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The old television show Hee-Haw had a humorous segment with four women called the Gossip Girls singing something like this\u2026 “Now, we’re not ones to go ’round spreadin’ rumors, Why, really we’re just not the gossipy kind, No, you’ll never … Continue reading
\n<\/strong>Is there such a thing as good gossip? Actually gossip has several meanings. One is to exchange light, trivial chitchat. It\u2019s a sort of mutual sharing of information. \u201cMary used a new hair coloring.\u201d \u201cJohn got a new car.\u201d \u201cJulie had a baby.\u201d It\u2019s usually common knowledge that one wouldn\u2019t mind sharing with others. This kind of socialization helps us learn to relate to others and can be bonding.<\/p>\n
\nHowever, a second meaning is to spread rumors, usually of a sensitive or intimate nature. Don\u2019t we just love being privy to some juicy, personal tidbit about someone else? It doesn\u2019t even matter if it\u2019s true or not. People may not start out telling half truths but by the time they tell their closest friends who tell their closest friends who tell their closest friends, the truth can get pretty distorted, but we believe it anyway. As the saying goes, \u201cSome people will believe anything if it\u2019s whispered to them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nUgly gossip deliberately tries to damage a person\u2019s reputation, which goes beyond sharing something you\u2019ve heard. These are lies designed to cause pain and grief. With the Internet, they are all too easy to spread. Unfortunately, when people see things in print, they believe it even more than something whispered in the ear.<\/p>\n\n