21 Days to Sweeter FriendshipsSample

Stirring Things Up

A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. Proverbs 16:28, ESV

Gossip. Strife. Trouble. Slander. Separation. End of a close friendship. It’s so easy for our tongues to get us into trouble. We open our mouths and plant doubts, questions, and even negative images about someone else. It seems innocent at the time, but it comes back to bite us later.

Whisperers separate close friends.

We have all been on the receiving end of this. If you’ve lived long enough, you have had someone whisper about you unfavorably. Maybe they never intended it to hurt you or get back to you, but it did.

Most likely, we have also all been the “whisperer” who denigrated someone else’s character and good name. We have uttered words we immediately regretted and wished we could take back.

What if today we asked God to change us into people who only plant good things and good words with our tongues? What if we only planted seeds of compassion, kindness, and encouragement? What if we sought only to lift others? How might this change our lives?

Prayer– Lord, would You help me be a person who whispers good and not evil? Would you make me a force for good with my words? I’m going to need your assistance on this one!

Reflect– Are there any ways you have been using your tongue poorly? If so, what changes do you feel God is calling you to make? In what ways can you protect yourself from being a gossip and a slanderer?