Stop Gossip In Its Tracks
Gossip and slander is a cancer root in a church that needs to be nipped as soon as it is uttered, but all too often we fall into the trap of going along with it. Perhaps it is our curiosity on what might be said about another good or bad, or perhaps it is just our flesh seeking the desires of the flesh. Whatever the reason, we need to not let it grow.
I bring this up because I watched “The Preacher’s Wife” with Denzel Washington (Dudley the Angel) last night. I had been resisting watching this movie for some time because the trailer makes it out to be something it is not. However, I happened upon it the other day and what I saw was good and intrigued me so I thought I would watch and see. I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there are some Hollywood fumbles in it as it gets the theology wrong about angels. But I can look past that and see the movie for what it is.
That said, there was a moment in the movie shortly after Dudley first meets the pastor he is sent to help and receives the cold shoulder where he inadvertently begins something that could be gossip or slander. The scene went something like this (and I am doing this from memory so I might not get all of the words right, but the intention is).
Dudley: You know Pastor Biggs?
Vendor: You mean this man (points to a picture of the vendor and the pastor).
Dudley: Does he strike you as stubborn.
Vendor: When my wife was in the hospital for her surgery he was there every night.
Dudley: But I…
Vendor: And he baptized all five of my children. (Takes money out of the cash draw, takes the pizza back, and handles the money back to Dudley). Now, you go and get out here.
This scene was a brilliant example of exactly what we should do when we hear gossip or slander especially when it is about the leadership of our churches. We should stop it in there tracks. We should say something along with the Vendor like this:
Someone: Come here.
You: What?
Someone: Did you hear about what the pastor did?
You: Are you kidding me. My pastor who has dedicated so much to enriching my life with Christ.
Someone: Yeah, but I heard that…
You: No yeah buts, that’s the man that baptized my kids, prayed for me when I was down, and has always been there for me when I needed a hand no matter how much was going on his life. Now, you take what you have and get.
This is the way we all should be and a stellar example of what Jesus would want. Just take a look at what the Bible says about gossip.
13 At the same time they also learn to be idle, as they go around from house to house; and not merely idle, but also gossips and busybodies, talking about things not proper to mention.
Let us all strive to not gossip or slander, but to take up what the vendor in this movie did and defend those who labor so hard amongst us for our benefit.
Tags: 1 timothy, denzel, dudley, god, gossip, jesus, movie, slander, the preacher's wife, vendor, washington, watched
