A few weeks ago, I ran into someone I hadn’t seen in a long time.  We chatted a bit and then the name of a mutual acquaintance came up.  My friend said something critical.

I’m not sure why, but it upset me.  Not because I knew the mutual acquaintance very well, but because I didn’t know the mutual acquaintance very well.  Prior to this, I had never heard anything unflattering about the mutual acquaintance.

This is not a theological blog; lately, I’ve been thinking about gossip based on a meditation I read on the Ninth Commandment.  Number Nine says:

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

It is a hard thing not to bear false witness against neighbors; gossip is fun sometimes.  We are living in unusual times and discord is all around us.  I’m not perfect and I have said unflattering things about people.  Being human, I will again.  I’m working on having a charitable esteem of my neighbors and rejoicing and promoting their good name.  Sometimes, it is the only thing we can do.

Think about it.  I do.

Peace out.