All my life, I’ve been surrounded by people who are quick to judge. It’s almost as if they’re waiting for someone to mess up just so they can say, I told you so. Like they get some kind of satisfaction from seeing others fail. If I’m honest, I’ve judged people too. We all have, whether we want to admit it or not. But I’ve always been too busy dealing with my own life, my own struggles, my own mess to fixate on someone else’s. And that’s the part that confuses me: How do some people find so much time and energy to obsess over other people’s business?
Some folks are just messy. Period. They run to gossip like it’s an Olympic sport, slandering people without a second thought, never stopping to look at their own reflection. Or maybe they do look, and they don’t like what they see. Maybe that’s exactly why they gossip because tearing someone else down gives them a temporary escape from their own reality.
But the thing is, God sees all of it, and He has a lot to say about gossip and slander.
What Does the Bible Say About Gossip and Slander?
The Bible makes it clear that gossip and slander are serious offenses. They’re not just bad habits; they’re sins that destroy relationships, ruin reputations, and reveal the condition of our hearts.
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Proverbs 16:28 – “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.”
Gossip isn't just harmless talk about others; it tears people apart. Careless words can destroy friendships, fracture families, and even ruin entire communities. -
Ephesians 4:29 – “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
If our words aren’t uplifting or beneficial, they have no business being spoken. God calls us to use our voices for encouragement, not destruction. -
James 1:26 – “Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
Ouch. That one hits deep. It’s a reminder that our faith isn’t just about what we believe; it’s about how we live, and that includes how we speak about others.
We judge others so much more harshly than we judge ourselves. It’s funny how the same people who love to whisper about how broke Becky up the street is don’t mention that they’re out here cheating on their spouses or drowning their own problems in a bottle. It’s easy to throw stones when no one is looking at your house.
And that’s the thing . . . we all want grace when it’s our turn but hesitate to extend that same grace to others. Why do we expect people to understand our circumstances, our flaws, our pain, but refuse to see theirs with the same compassion?
What Does God Expect from Us?
God calls us to a higher standard. He doesn’t want us caught up in gossip, judgment, and slander. He wants us to reflect His love, grace, and righteousness.
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Matthew 7:3-5 – “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
Instead of being quick to judge, we need to examine ourselves first. -
Proverbs 11:13 – “A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy person keeps a secret.”
If someone shares something with us, we are called to protect and respect their trust, not use it as fuel for gossip. -
Colossians 3:8 – “But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.”
Slander doesn’t just hurt the person being talked about; it poisons our own souls. God wants us to let go of those toxic behaviors and instead speak words of kindness and truth.
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