True Gossip

Have you ever told someone something and then immediately regretted it because you could not be sure they would keep that information to themselves?  I know I have.  I answered the question that I hoped they wouldn't ask, or I tried to change the subject but it just came up, and then the next thing I know I’m telling them something that I didn't want them to know.  Not because it’s rude or hurtful, but because it’s something true about me that I didn't want passed around to just anyone.

The problem with true information is that many people assume that spreading it around isn't really gossip.  We all know that lying about someone is gossip, and encouraging such false statements about them to go viral would fit that bill as well, but somehow truth falls into a “Gossip Grey Area.”  Often we feel justified in sharing things about people that are true, even if we’re not sure how they feel about every one of our Facebook friends knowing their most intimate secrets.

I heard a pastor named Craig Groeschel say something this week that I thought was really good and wanted to pass on to you.  He said “everything you say should be true, but not everything that is true should be said.”  Often sharing true information can be just as damaging as spreading lies.  Regardless of whether the information is true or not, sharing those things without the person’s consent is just as hurtful either way.  If someone trusts you with something, prove to them that you are trustworthy and keep that information to yourself.