Have you ever wondered if you were raising the weird kid?  You know that kid at school that is so different from the others.  He will never be Prom King or class favorite.  He won’t play varsity sports.  Oh my goodness, what if he is on the year book staff or in One Act Play?  Horrors!  He won’t even get a date to the prom!

Please do not take offense.  I am being intentionally facetious. 

Years ago at a high school pep rally the cheerleaders had organized a game for the senior boys.  This is a small town school with only around 10 boys per class, most were athletes.  The game was basically for the amusement of the viewers in the bleachers.  Each senior boy was blindfolded, spun around for confusion and then released to the gym floor to do a  mine sweep of sorts.  However, there was one evil little twist to the game.  All of the senior athletes removed their eye coverings leaving one kid to make his way across the gym with a broom.  The bleachers roared with excitement.  He fumbled.  They cheered.  He went the wrong way.  They jeered.  

After the completion of the event, of which there was no winner, the good natured young man smiled as he removed his mask.  He entered the group of classmates with high fives and smug grins.  I didn’t know this kid well enough to know how he was impacted by this game.  I don’t know if he was embarrassed or liked the attention.  I don’t know if he was a jokester himself.  I don’t know if he was masking humiliation or if he was genuinely jovial.  

As I was leaving the gymnasium that afternoon one of the teachers that I knew personally stopped me.  She thought the game was tacky and humiliating to that young man.  He’s a good kid, she said.  She was offended on his behalf.  I respected her outlook but told her what i saw was a kid that showed good character and dignity.  He was a good sport and a great example to the team he wasn’t part of. 

Rumor and Gossip

Sometimes I use these terms interchangeably and in error.  Consider these two phrases: 

“Spreading gossip” and “spreading rumors”.  While the talent for, or inclination of spreading either is not a character trait likely to be highlighted on my LinkedIn profile, they are different.  By definition, a rumor is an unverified “truth”.  If you are spreading rumors you are retelling tales that may or may not be true. Don’t tell yourself that you were punked into believing it were true.  That level of self righteous denial only changes you from spreader of rumor to a spreader of gossip.  Gossip is, by definition, talking about people or instances that are true.  

Wait that doesn’t seem like a bad thing.  Can i put that on my resume?  I only talk about things that are true. Maybe, but the definition continues to use qualifying words like intent, malice, betrayal, hurt, private, and the like.  

What does the Bible say about rumors and gossip? 

Ephesians 4:29-31 

Proverbs 10:19; 20:19; 16:28

Romans 1:29-32

Matt 12:36

These are only a few.  I hope you look up a couple or Google “what does the Bible say about gossip” and get a much longer list.  If you are reading this I probably don’t have to convince you that gossip, regardless of verification or truthfulness, is harmful. 

Though it doesn’t seem so at this point on the page, my intent was not to blast you with Surgeon General type warning on the affects of gossiping.  I really got on here to spread some information, verified, non habit forming, encouraging information.  

This week I was thinking about my kids, as i often do.  I have been out of town for a few days, and I missed seeing them at lunch on Sunday.  Also, I have missed some of the touch points I would normally have during the week.  That always makes me think about them more intentionally. 

I have three incredible sons.  I am so proud of them.  They make me joyful; beyond happy.  

For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.  I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.  I John 3: 3-4

This is the verse that i have been digging around in this week.  I won’t say that i have completed a word study on the scripture but i have meditated on the these words this week.  I have seen something that I had overlooked previously.  I read  “hear that my children walk in truth” differently. 

Walk in Truth:  The word truth is used 17 times in the short seven chapters of I, II, and III John.  Seems to be a primary focus.  Truth, the Truth, is so important.  We would all agree on that.  Walking in truth is important.  Knowing the truth is great! Living the truth is incredible! That’s how the Truth becomes visible.  

But here is what I heard: “to hear” 

I am Godly proud of my kids, my stinking grown up little boys.  The boys that ran in the house when I wasn’t looking.  The boys that even now, giggle slightly around the Sunday lunch table to secrets they are still holding.  The boys that fought with each other like mortal enemies for a solid decade.  The boys that huddled together in storms, that fought over the TV remote, and that secretly cried for each other.  The boys that I dressed in matching Easter and Christmas outfits year after year.  The same boys that broke my special nativity camel’s legs off, spilled permanent gold paint on my bedroom floor, and rode a storage tote down the carpeted stairs like a luge in the Winter Olympics.  That’s them!  

These are the boys that bring me no greater joy!  I think I raised the weird kids.  I hope that I did.  

We tell the stories and we laugh mostly but the greatest joy is attributed to hearing.  I don’t want gossip and rumors to be flying around about my boys but to hear someone testify to the walk of my children, there is no greater joy.  

Help me not to spread gossip or rumors.  Help me to encourage others by testifying of the walk in truth of those around me. Help me to spread joy.