Behind Your Back
Posted by Dan on 14 Aug 2007 at 07:41 am | Tagged as: Riv, Life, Xianity
A couple weeks ago, I gave a sermon on hospitality and I asked the question to our members “how would you feel if everyone you knew was talking about you behind your back?” The answers were all things like “angry”, “sad”, “upset” etc… And then I talked about Roman’s 12 where we are supposed to “outdo one another in showing honor.” And so what if everyone was saying positive things about you. The world would tip over I think.
Anyway, it’s easy to gossip. It’s easy to get little digs in at people, but it’s really hard to rank yourself lower than others. It’s hard to push people past yourself. But that is what we are called to do as people who follow Jesus.
Ironically, Noel just found a quote by atheist Bertrand Russell.
No one gossips about other people’s secret virtues.
- Bertrand Russell
Oddly I’ve heard gossiping about “secret virtues” but I remember it being cross. Such as talk about people in an “ivory tower” because a devote Christ-like life (non-trendy).
I don’t hear of Jehovah Witnesses bragging of practicing a knock on a stranger’s door to bring them the Word of Salvation, and don’t see Amish in town pimping about their humble farm gear. Besides jibes toward the aboves’ more human points, I do hear mocking at them for the aforementioned qualities.
Oh, that was a great sermon. I have fallen away from hospitality… I am working on being accommodating again but now in awe of Christ.