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Witness to a Crime —
A Valentine’s Day Verbal Massacre
Sally just happened to be there when the crime took place on Valentine’s
Day at her church. She had arrived at the couple’s fellowship.
She was early enough to find a good seat and wait for her husband
Bill to arrive from his job.
She and her husband had just moved to the area and already enjoyed
the rich fellowship and teaching at their new church. As new believers,
they were growing more and more each day.
Tom and Mary decided to sit next to her at the table. After they
exchanged greetings, three other couples whom Sally and her husband
had met at the last meeting joined them.
Sally listened to the active conversation that had just started.
It seemed like they were concerned about another couple who would
not be attending that evening. Mary had a serious tone in her voice
as she addressed the group.
“We should really be praying about Dee Dee and her new husband
Bob. I never approved of her relationship with him because he’s
so quiet. He seems to be so different from her. I’m just
not sure if it was right of her to marry him so soon after her
husband died.”
Everyone in the small group at the table nodded in agreement.
Mary’s husband, Tom, a large man with a booming voice, said
with a tone of authority, “I am always suspect of men who
do not associate with other men in the church. Plus, he never attends
the men’s fellowship. He always claims that he is working.
Does anyone know why he works so much?”
One of the men in the group volunteered an answer. “I bet
they have a lot of debt. I noticed that they both drive new cars.”
Another person in the group volunteered, “I seldom see them
sharing intimate glances at each other. I bet they have problems
in the bedroom.”
Sally was glad when her husband finally arrived. As he hung up
her coat and made his way to the table, she really appreciated
their relationship. Just hearing about the absent couple, Dee Dee
and Bob, made her happy they did not share the same troubles with
money and the other problems the couples continued talking about.
But the comfort in her own marriage faded as she began to feel
some discomfort. She could not lean over to update her hubby on
this casual chatter before the meeting. But he showed a look of
confusion on his face.
Sally remembered the scripture she had just looked at that morning
during her quiet time. Someone had shared with her a really great
way to have a devotional by reading the corresponding chapter of
Proverbs for every day of the month. Since today was the twelfth
of the month, she read Proverbs 12. When she read verse 18, she
visualized someone stabbing another person with a sword every time
they gossiped. “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the
tongue of the wise brings healing” (Prov. 12:18).
When she shared the scripture with her husband, he laughed and
said, “If a real sword was used, we would see a lot of bloody
people walking around.”
As she looked at her brothers and sisters at the table, she visualized
them with swords in their hands. The tip of each sword was bloody.
She closed her eyes and opened them again to refocus, but the
image of the sword was still there. But now, to her horror, there
was one in her hand also. Why would I have one too? she
wondered, I didn’t say anything, she said to herself
in an inaudible protest.
Then she remembered another proverb that she had read last month. “The
words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s
inmost parts” (Prov. 26:22).
She felt comfortable when she heard about the troubles of that
couple. It made her feel as if her relationship was a bit better.
She continued reflecting on another part of that chapter: “Without
wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down” (Prov.
26:20).
She knew that she would have to try to put the fire out. She decided
not to debate the issue with her mind but just trust the Lord to
help her. She said a quick prayer to herself and said, “My
husband and I are new to this fellowship. We have enjoyed coming.” She
glanced at her husband who did not know what to expect but decided
to trust her. She continued, “I am concerned, however, that
all this talk about poor Dee Dee and Bob is not really helping
them. Correct me if I am wrong,” she looked at her husband
and paused as she returned her eye contact to the group, “but
are we gossiping more than sharing a real prayer concern? Doesn’t
the Scripture say somewhere that we should be spreading the gospel
and not gossip?”
Then her husband excitingly blurted out, “Yeah, honey, it
says that in Acts 8:4. I just read it this morning. It says, ‘Those
who had been scattered preached the word wherever they went.’ That
was good gossip.”
Then Sally’s husband, Bill, said in a much quieter and reflective
voice, “That same Bible also says, ‘He who guards his
lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin’ (Prov.
13:3).”
“We have not guarded our mouths tonight,” Tom said
with sadness in his voice. “Perhaps we should spend some
time looking at what the Bible says about our words.”
The rest of the evening was spent studying, sharing, asking for
forgiveness, and really praying for each other and then Dee Dee
and Bob. It was an unforgettable Valentine’s Day.
Sally went home glad that night. Although she had witnessed a
crime in progress, she also had an opportunity to do something
about it.
All Scripture quotations taken from the New International
Version.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, ROSIE HORNER, 2007
Reprint rights are granted as long as links are kept. Thanks,
Rosie
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