At first glance, gossip and gospel seem to be opposites. We know we are not supposed to gossip, and we do. We know we should share the gospel, and we don’t. I was shocked to learn that gossip and gospel have much in common, according to the dictionary.
In a positive sense, gossip can be the sharing of intimate personal details and support with people you trust.
But the other side to gossip involves sharing information about people who are not present. In contrast to gossip, which is often a counterfeit of good news, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the real deal.
So why can it feel so unappetizing to share that gospel as easily as we share the latest juicy bits of gossip? Sometimes it still feels more natural for me to share gossip than gospel, and I’m a seasoned pastor!
Could that be because I sometimes try to share the gospel the same way I share gossip–by talking about someone who isn’t present? Maybe a little invitation is in order. Something along the lines of: “God, would you mind coming with me as I share faith-thoughts with my friend about you?”
This message is excerpted from “Gossip or gospel” by Christa von Zychlin in the January/February 2019 issue of Gather magazine.
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