How Gossip Goes

Gossip and untruth are amongst the most destructive tactics that the enemy will use to undermine the work of any church. It is found in the content of words said behind cupped hand and closed doors. It is, quite simply, the conversation of a cold and callused heart. Nehemiah 6: 5-9 helpfully shows us the pattern of how gossip or undermining untruth spreads:

Its source is most often an enemy who has pretended friendship (that is what Sanballat has done just a few verses earlier).

It is the work of fraudulent friendship engaged in by an enemy. If you gossip about someone that is what you are- their enemy.

Word comes to you about the content, complaint or conflict from someone different from them. Frauds seldom front up themselves.

It makes the pretense of secrecy but really desires and makes designs for word to spread like confetti or seed. It's ambition is to see the story shoot up as widely as possible so will spread it's reach as wide as possible.

It is usually made to sound like bigger & wider news than it actually is (among the nations). It believes that by exaggerating the scale it will become exponentially more scary to the person being spoken against.

It lays claim to a wider authority (and Geshem also says it... wow, so it must be true). It recognises that it's only way of traction is by playing upon the attraction we have to people thinking much of us, liking us or believing the best about us.

It sounds like this: 'and another thing, and another thing, and another thing...' (and, and, and v.6-7). In it's concern that one thing won't achieve their destructive goal they will throw a lot of mud in the hope that something will stick, or that such a landslide of ill-revelation will prove compelling to those who come into contact with what is being peddled.

It usually takes the form of criticism or attributes ill motive or most likely both. The assumption of pride or ambition can usually serve as an assessment of the gossiper and their motives in the first place. Amazingly, the murky can often serve as a very effective mirror upon the heart of the mischief-maker.

It eventually is expressed by way of threat or seeks to create fear. In reality that is the only place that falsehood can aspire to enjoy any kind of success- the way of fakery-induced fear.

Nehemiah's response, sadly, is probably pretty useful to memorize. 'No such things as you say have been done, for you are inventing them out of your own mind.' His approach is equally helpful. He doesn’t go on the defensive, he doesn't issue claim & counter-claim, he doesn’t throw some rocks back, he doesn’t take the bait & issue a detailed denial.

He simply points to what is true and reminds himself of the One in whom is all truth.

It is a response grounded in the understanding that my work for God is not sustained by my reputation, it is sustained by my reliance upon Him (which will take care of my reputation). It is established upon he realisation that it is His strength that matters not what people say about me.