Shunning Gossip: Embracing Renewal on the Last Monday of March!

As we step into the final days of March, I extend a warm welcome to each and every one of you. What's become a focus these past days is the dangers of gossip and watching the words we speak. 

The Bible speaks profoundly about the detrimental effects of gossip. It reminds us that gossip not only tarnishes reputations but also erodes trust and unity among brethren. Proverbs 16:28 states, "A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends." Hence, let us be vigilant in guarding our tongues and spreading kindness rather than rumors.

One of the most notable stories about gossip in the Bible can be found in the Old Testament, in the book of Numbers, chapter 12. This story involves Moses, his sister Miriam, and his brother Aaron.

Miriam and Aaron began to speak against Moses because of his marriage to an Ethiopian woman. They questioned Moses' authority and criticized his decision to marry outside their own people. Their discontentment led them to engage in gossip, spreading rumors about Moses behind his back.

However, God was not pleased with their behavior. He called them to the tent of meeting and chastised them for speaking against His chosen servant, Moses. In Numbers 12:6-8, God says to them, "Hear now my words: If there is a prophet among you, I the Lord make myself known to him in a vision; I speak with him in a dream. Not so with my servant Moses. He is faithful in all my house. With him I speak mouth to mouth, clearly, and not in riddles, and he beholds the form of the Lord. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"

As a consequence of their gossip and rebellion against Moses, Miriam was struck with leprosy. Aaron pleaded...