Dear hurting girl who doesn’t deserve the pain you’re in, or what the other girl did to you, or didn’t mean to do to you, please, oh please don’t turn to gossip!
Gossip weaves an alluring and intricate maze – a maze that gets bigger with every word, and has many twists and turns that often lead to a dead end.
Recently in my life I have been victim to a lot of gossip, slander and many lies. We say that sticks and stones will break my bones but words may never hurt me…but the truth and painful reality is that words when carelessly thrown around break hearts, dreams, spirits and smiles. The Bible says that our tongues and words have the power of life and death:
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk
will reap the consequences.” Proverbs 18:21
Are you aware that your words have power? You can speak things into existence! Do you speak good, loving and beautiful things, or out of revenge and hate, do you speak ugly words? This portion of scripture also says that you reap the consequences of what you speak. You don’t only harm others with your gossip but also yourself.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words hurt more intensely. Gossip is one of the worst forms of hurting another person. Unless you have been victim to gossip you can’t imagine how much it hurts inside. It causes a self-loathing and isolation to rise up in another person. You commit a crime against your own gender and tear down all the principles that girls should stand for. In a world that is difficult enough to navigate and figure out and make it through alive, why would we rise up against each other in hateful speech?
Whatever your reason for gossip, I assure you it isn’t validated. I’m not trying to downplay your hurt at all, maybe you truly are a victim of something awful, but doing something in return to hurt another, or to fulfill your own vendetta makes you no better than the person who hurt you.
You do have a right to love. If a friend has hurt you, go and talk to HER—not to other people ABOUT her. If she hurt you, don’t lash out for revenge, pray for her. Look at her situation, try to understand and do whatever you can to make amends and forgive. Do you know what the best success is in a situation where someone has hurt you intentionally or unintentionally? The best form of success is to move on, forgive, and not let it affect your life.
Girls, girls, girls…We need to do the best we can and stick together in love and unity. There is no benefit to gossip, there is no benefit to be against one another, instead let’s honestly love, support and lift each other up.
Sincerely, the girl who was stoned by gossip.
This blog was written by Pure Design Teen Magazine’s blogger Carly Sage. Carly is 19 and lives in Youngstown, Ohio where she attends Victory School of Ministry. She hopes to be in full-time ministry as a pastor one day and loves to express herself through writing!
