Fed Up with Gossip

Fed Up with Gossip

from Let's Talk
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Fed up with Gossip

I'm really frustrated with all the gossiping I hear at school. I don't want to participate in these conversations, but I don't know if I should speak up. What would you do?

Gossip is like a wildfire. It gets out of control and spreads quickly. The Bible places gossip along the same line as greed, sexual perversion, and even murder (see Romans 1:29). Just like we can murder someone with a gun, we must be careful not to "murder" someone with our tongue. Gossiping is a sign of a low self-image, a really bad habit or both. The best thing to do is not join in. But, when you're put in a situation where people are gossiping, you do have a few options:

1) Walk away.

2) Tell your friends that gossiping is wrong and refer to the old adage, "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all."

3) Turn the conversation around by either saying something positive or by changing the subject.

Words are very powerful and our tongues are hypocritical. James 3:9 says, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness." Ephesians 4:29 tells us to say things that are "helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Your positive example will be the best way to keep your friends from gossiping.

Uncomfortable with Evolution

I go to a public school and in our science classes we learn about the theory of evolution. I feel uncomfortable when my teachers try to tell me I evolved from a gorilla. How do I handle situations like this?

I had a similar problem with one of my college classes. I remember the frustrations I had, but going back to study what I believed helped me through. You, too, have to make a choice on how you're going to handle this situation. You have a couple options. You can take science as a home school course, while continuing to take other classes at your public school. Or, you can look for a different teacher in your school who shares your beliefs and ask to be switched to that class.

However, don't consider any of these options without seriously thinking about staying in the class and studying twice as hard as you need to for the grade. I've seen students who read their text, listen to lectures and then study books that support a different view. They also spend time talking with pastors about creation. You can also try to argue with the science teacher, but my experience says that usually doesn't work as well as investing the extra time to study both sides and come up with a well thought out belief of your own. The important thing in this situation is to explore the theories of evolution and creation for yourself so you may be confident in God and your belief in him.

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