~ A discerning heart knows when to tune out the whispers…

“Do not accuse anyone for no reason—when they have done you no harm.” Proverbs 3:30 [NIV]

Have you ever heard something about someone and thought, “I’m glad I don’t know them?”

When I was in high school, an acquaintance of mine told me some not-so-nice things about a girl we went to school with. I didn’t personally know the girl she was talking

about, but I had seen her around the school. After listening to all of those distasteful bits, I didn’t want to know her. I decided right then and there to stay as far away from her as possible; she was not someone I wanted to be friends with.

A few months later as I was getting on the bus to go on a school field trip, I saw her sitting in the back. I didn’t want to sit by her, so I scanned the bus for an open seat that wasn’t near her. My heart did a little flippity-flump when I realized the only

the available seat was the one directly in front of her.

Ugh…

There was no avoiding it; I was going to have to sit there if I wanted to go on the field trip. As I made my way towards the empty seat, I desperately hoped—and prayed—she wouldn’t see me. If she didn’t notice me, I wouldn’t have to talk to her.

And. I. Did. Not. Want. To. Talk. To. Her!

Just as I was about to slip into the seat undetected, she looked up at me and smiled. I don’t remember if I smiled back, I probably did. All I remember is that she started talking to me.

And you know what? She was nothing like I had imagined; she wasn’t heinous or cruel or monstrous.

She was….friendly.

Don’t let a bit of gossip persuade you into thinking someone isn’t friendable.-Tweet this!

After chatting with her, my reasons for not wanting to get to know her no longer seemed valid. I realized I had unwisely let a bit of gossip persuade me to come to the wrong conclusion. Proverbs 3:30 tells us “not to accuse anyone for no reason.” In my heart, I had falsely accused her. It was unfair of me to assume this girl—who hadn’t caused me any harm—wasn’t friendable. She deserved my friendship as much as anyone else; I shouldn’t have tried to withhold it from her because of something I heard.

Have you ever been persuaded to think the worst about someone because of something you heard about them? Or read about them? There will always be somebody trying to whisper unkind words in our ears about somebody. The next time the whispers come, let’s wisely choose not to listen to them. By doing so, we can prevent them from influencing us to assume the worst about someone.

Prayer:

“Lord I thank you for the wisdom that’s found in your word. Please Forgive me when I wrongfully assume the worst about someone. I ask that you give me the strength to silence unkind gossip when it comes my way. Help me to be a better friend and extend Christ’s love to everyone, despite what I’ve heard. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen!”

Thank you for joining me today. ~Kelly Basham

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