Ben Sira advises us in this chapter to be caeful of loose talk. The other day someone asked me about something I had supposedly said to another person. She thought it out of character for me (and it would have been had I said it) and just wanted to check with me. We were able to clear up something that was simply a misunderstanding or lack of good communication. Ben Sira would have been proud.
Gossip has a way of hurting people sometimes without anyone even noticing. Proverbs 26:20 reminds us: “Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down” I heard one time an easy way to determine whther or not to say something is to ask these questions befoer you say something: Is it true? Is it helpful to say it? Is it hurtful to say it? Is it necessary to say it? Would God approve of you saying it? Perhaprs there are more that one could add to that list, but I think it's a good start.
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