One of the best things about having friends is that you have other people to talk to. A good conversation with friends is sometimes the one thing you need to make you smile, right?
There are so many fun and wonderful things you can talk to your friends about. You can talk about what movies you like, your favorite outfits, and the most recent books you have read. You can talk about homework, your teachers, and your classmates. When friends get together there are hours of conversations and giggles waiting to happen!
But when you talk to your friends, there is something you have to be careful not to do. Let’s call it the “G” word. You might know it. Gossip.
Gossip is when someone talks about another person in a way that is untrue or hurtful. Gossip can get a little tricky, and here is why: Gossip is not just about what you say. It is also about what you hear. What you listen to and let other people say about others is just as important as what you say.
Leviticus 19:16 says, “Do not go about spreading slander among your people.” God does not want His children to gossip. Nope. So be careful not to let unpleasant or untrue words about other people come out of your mouth, or go into your ears! He even wants you to help stop gossip if you are able to. As God’s girl, you have to protect yourself and the people around you—and gossip is hurtful to everyone.
Here are a few things to think about when you and your friends start to talk: Are the things you are saying about other people true? Are you saying things that are helpful and kind? Are you speaking in love? If someone heard what you were saying, would they know that you loved them?
If you can answer “no” to any of these questions, then it’s time to change the conversation! With so many fun things to talk about, be sure to say things that would bring a smile to God!
Dear God, thank You for my friends and the people I get to talk to every day. Help me not to gossip and give me the courage I need to stop others from gossiping when I hear them. Help me to look like You, even when I am having fun talking to my friends. In Jesus’s name, amen.