Friend Request: Devotions From Time Of GraceExemplo

The sin that kills friendship 

My wife is amazed at how men can fight and still be friends. Guys can get into an argument, throw a few punches, apologize, and immediately go out for appetizers and drinks (with ice packs still on their faces). Apparently, in my wife’s experience, things are a touch more complicated for our sisters in the faith . . .

Some friends can move past a few punches almost immediately, but few can survive the sin that kills friendships. “A gossip separates close friends,” writes King Solomon (Proverbs 16:28). A gossip pushes the nuclear button on even the strongest relationships. Why? Because friendships are built upon honesty. What truly draws us together is being real, opening up, confessing our weaknesses, and bearing each other’s burdens. But when I gossip, when I embarrass you instead of protecting you, you will learn to fake it in front of me, if for no other reason than self-preservation.

Can I encourage you today to take gossip as seriously as Scripture does, whether it comes in the form of a whispered conversation, an email shared among snarky friends, or an “I just need some extra advice” cover? Words of gossip have the power to kill one of God’s greatest gifts as quickly as a fire can burn down a forest that took a generation to grow.

Instead, talk about something even more interesting—the bottomless blessings of knowing Jesus. “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).