In part one of this series on gossip, we looked at the first face of gossip, complaining, and how Jesus wants to rescue his church from its debilitating effects. Remember the analogy about building blocks as we look at the second face of gossip: leaking.

Breaking trust to gain acceptance

The Leaker: The Gossip who breaks trust by leaking entrusted information to others.

Leakers like being in the know. They are given private information and allow it to leak in public. They do this not only in conversations, but also through emails, text messages, phone calls, and Facebook. Why would anyone gossip entrusted, private information about another person?

Jesus doesn’t use people for his own worth; he confers his own worth on people.

For the leaker, possessing private, inside information can be a means to gaining acceptance from others. Obtaining and distributing inside information makes them feel needed. Relationships superficially thrive in gossip. The leaker breaks trust by leaking entrusted information to others. Why? The leaker seeks social acceptance at the expense of others.

Devolving to self-importance

Leakers often devolve into rippers, criticizing and ridiculing others regarding information they should not have revealed to begin with. By ripping on others, the ripper feels a little more righteous and affirmed in their own decisions. When leaking entrusted information, the leaker feels important. The ripper seeks a self-important righteousness by placing others below them in mean-spirited gossip.

Who is Jesus to the Leaker?

Both the leaker and the ripper seek an acceptance outside of Jesus. Jesus is the only way into deep acceptance and love because he opens up the Father’s accepting love for us.

Jesus doesn’t use people for his own worth; he confers his own worth on people.

Gossips need a deeper acceptance and a deeper importance than leaking entrusted information could ever provide. In order to dive deeply into God’s love, the gossip must turn away from seeking acceptance and importance outside of Jesus.

Love and bless rather than leak and criticize

Confessing our sin to others and to God is necessary to delight in the Father’s accepting love for us. God calls gossips to turn away from self-made acceptance and importance, and to turn back to the Father’s accepting love. His love frees us to love, not leak; to bless, not rip.

Series edited by Greg Cox