Do you hear gossip? If you allow slander in your presence, you are an accessory. You are enabling sinful communication when you have the power to end it. How do you stop it?

Speak up

Here are some ideas on how to stop the conversation.

“Okay, this conversation is going somewhere I don’t want to go.”

“Please stop. I don’t want to hear it.”

Or, “I really want to hear this, but I would be sinning if I did. Please don’t tempt me.”

You might be saying as you read this, “Oh my goodness! My friends will quit talking to me if I do that!” Yep. They might. But if your friendship is based on destructive chit-chat, it isn’t a friend worth keeping. Let her go.

On the other hand, your words might be the used by the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sin. My closest friends are those who love me enough to hurt me when I need it. Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Wounds from a friend can be trusted… Proverbs 27:5-6

Avoid those friends

If you keep sinning when talking with certain folks, you would be wise to stay away from them. Chances are if they are talking about others, they are talking about you too. A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. Proverbs 20:19