THE WORD OF GOD SAYS
SIMPLY LOVE
The whole point of what we’re urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip.
1 Timothy 1:5-7 The Message (MSG)
SAVE YOUR CRITICAL COMMENTS FOR YOURSELF
Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.
Galatians 6:1-3 MSG
DO YOU WANT TO BE ON GOD’S GUEST LIST—THEN DON’T HURT A FRIEND
God , who gets invited to dinner at your place? How do we get on your guest list? “Walk straight, act right, tell the truth. “Don’t hurt your friend, don’t blame your neighbor; despise the despicable. “Keep your word even when it costs you, make an honest living, never take a bribe. “You’ll never get blacklisted if you live like this.”
Psalm 15:1-5 MSG
PRAY INSTEAD OF GOSSIP
“You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.
Matthew 5:43-47 MSG
GOSSIP DOESN’T FIT YOUR STYLE
Don’t allow love to turn into lust, setting off a downhill slide into sexual promiscuity, filthy practices, or bullying greed. Though some tongues just love the taste of gossip, those who follow Jesus have better uses for language than that. Don’t talk dirty or silly. That kind of talk doesn’t fit our style. Thanksgiving is our dialect.
Ephesians 5:3-4 MSG
LOOK FOR THE BEST IN OTHERS—NOW THAT’S SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT
And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love! Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. And be careful that when you get on each other’s nerves you don’t snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 MSG
MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You’ve heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends.
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 MSG
GET ALONG AND LOVE ONE ANOTHER
Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don’t need me to tell you what to do. You’re God -taught in these matters. Just love one another!
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10 MSG
LEAVE YOUR CONCERNS OF OTHERS TO GOD—HE WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM
Don’t run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God’s concerns, and he will take care of them. We’ve warned you about this before. God hasn’t invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful—as beautiful on the inside as the outside. If you disregard this advice, you’re not offending your neighbors; you’re rejecting God, who is making you a gift of his Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8 MSG
JESUS DIDN’T GOSSIP, NEITHER SHOULD YOU
Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.
1 John 2:6 NLT
STILL LIVING IN DARKNESS
If anyone claims, “I am living in the light,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is still living in darkness. Anyone who loves a fellow believer is living in the light and does not cause others to stumble. But anyone who hates a fellow believer is still living and walking in darkness. Such a person does not know the way to go, having been blinded by the darkness.
1 John 2:9-11 NLT
IF YOU CREATE DIVISION, YOU DON’T HAVE GOD’S SPIRIT
They told you that in the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy their ungodly desires. These people are the ones who are creating divisions among you. They follow their natural instincts because they do not have God’s Spirit in them.
Jude 1:18-19 NLT
HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IF YOU WANT TO SEE YOUR DAY FILLED UP WITH GOOD
“Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless—that’s your job, to bless. You’ll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, Here’s what you do: Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to what he’s asked; But he turns his back on those who do evil things.”
1 Peter 3:8-12 MSG
DON’T LET YOUR EARS ITCH FOR GOSSIP
Evil people relish malicious conversation; the ears of liars itch for dirty gossip.
Proverbs 17:4 MSG
USE YOUR WORDS AS GIFTS, SAY ONLY WHAT HELPS OTHERS OR SIMPLY ZIP IT
Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
Ephesians 4:29 MSG
THE WAY YOU SPEAK ABOUT OTHERS WILL DETERMINE HOW YOU ENJOY YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE
Who out there has a lust for life? Can’t wait each day to come upon beauty? Guard your tongue from profanity, and no more lying through your teeth.
Psalm 34:5, 12-13 MSG
STOP LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BLAME
Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do.”
John 9:3-5 MSG
LET YOUR WORDS BE MERCIFUL
So whatever you say or whatever you do, remember that you will be judged by the law that sets you free. There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.
James 2:12-13 NLT
DON’T BE A SOURCE OF CONFUSION TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD—IT WILL GET YOU INTO TROUBLE
Lord Yahweh of Angel Armies, keep me from ever being a stumbling block to others, to those who love you. Lord God of Israel, don’t let what happens to me be the source of confusion to those who are passionate for you.
Psalms 69:6 TPT
