Words That Hold Steady

Well now, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes, friend? You come right on up here on this ol’ front porch and rest your weary feet for a lil’ ol’ while. Well, I declare, it’s mighty doggone good to see you today. If you could hear that cantankerous ol’ goose fussin’ at that onery ol’ possum that keeps on sneakin’ around the woodpile or smell the peach cobbler coolin’ on the windowsill, you’d know you’ve done stepped into a place where your heart can breathe. Let’s git ourselves plum settled in and talk about a sneaky lil’ ol’ troublemaker that slips into conversations quieter than a lil’ field mouse tiptoein’ across a pantry shelf. Proverbs 11:13 tells us, “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.” And tucked alongside it is Psalm 34:13 says, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.”

Gossip is one of them ugly critters that looks plum harmless at first. It sidles up like a curious lil’ goat that wants to nibble on your shoelaces. It starts with a whisper, a tidbit, a “Did you hear?” that feels about as innocent as a lil’ fawn sniffin’ around the garden. But Scripture warns us that gossip sinks real deep. Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.” Once they git down there, they can stir up trouble faster than an ol’ snoopy squirrel trapped in a grain bin.

Paul warned Timothy about folks who wandered from house to house stirrin’ up mischief, sayin’ things they ought not to say. That there sounds familiar, don’t it? We’ve all met someone that spreads stories like an ol’ rooster crowin’ at dawn whether anyone asked for it or not. But before we wag a finger, we have to check our own hearts. Have we repeated something that wasn’t ours to share? Have we let our words tear down instead of build up? Psalm 34:13 calls us to “guard our lips,” and that guarding takes prayer, humility, and a whole lot of Holy Spirit help.

Friend, gossip downright divides. Gossip sho’-nuff’ wounds. Gossip plum betrays. But a trustworthy person becomes a real safe place, steady and dependable, like an ol’ farmhouse that has stood through storms and seasons without ever losing its footin’. God calls us to be that kind of shelter for others.

Father, help us keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit. Give us the strength to stay quiet when silence honors You. Make us trustworthy, gentle, and wise in every conversation. Shape our hearts so our words reflect Your goodness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Alright then, friend, bless your heart, and as you head into the rest of your day, you gotta be carryin’ this truth like a big ol’ sturdy bucket that won’t spill even when the trail gets real bumpy. Choose words that lift instead of words that git to scatterin’ like a flock of startled lil’ ol’ guinea hens. Remember that a guarded tongue protects more than reputations, it plum protects relationships. Step forward with the confidence of an ol’ plow horse that sho’-nuff’ knows its path, trustin’ God to help you speak life every step you take.

With joy,

Gwen