Proverbs 2019 says, he that goeth about as a tell-bearer revealeth secrets. Therefore meddle not with him that flattereth with his lips. In our previous proverb devotional, we pointed out the difference between a tell-bearer and a truth-bearer. We encourage you to listen to that as an introduction to this if you haven't done so already. We pointed out that a tell-bearer is a gossip. His or her purpose is to damage others with salacious, slanderous, and malicious stories for the greater goal of getting attention for themselves or making themselves look superior to others. And this is a chronic condition. until the tail bearer repents. That's what the word means, tail bearer, a person always bearing tails of a slanderous, malicious, or otherwise dishonest nature. So again, we emphasize that this is used in that context of bearing tails that are hurtful. The tales are told with the intent of the talebearer getting attention, and the means to getting that attention is to make that gossip as juicy and slanderous as possible, or exaggerating in ways that are just, well, it's just beyond what a Christian should be doing. It's not honest, and we all need to be careful not to cross that line. It's been a rare thing, thankfully, but there have been a few times I've had to stop someone talking during times of church fellowship. I don't immediately assume that that person is a tell-bearer in the habitual sense, but I nonetheless have to stop the discussion there because, well, it's sinful. In one case, someone had asked about a person who hadn't been to our church meetings for a while, and the response was simply true at first. The person telling the story just gave the facts as we knew them. But then they began adding things like, well, I think such and such, and he's probably doing such and such. And before that could go on any further, I just spoke up and said, wait now, let's not go into sinful gossip. All we know is that What you had already said at first is true, but we don't know whether what you just now said is true or not, so we shouldn't repeat that stuff. And thankfully, in this case I'm referring to, the person speaking was immediately repentant and said, you're right, I have no idea and I shouldn't have said that. That's the way it ought to be. And that's all that needed to be said. The conversation took a different direction and that was that. But I have to confess I've been on the other end of that account a few times in my 35 years as a Christian. And I'm thankful someone said something to me to put me in my place and help me avoid becoming a tailbearer. Again, in the habitual sense of the word as used in this proverb, he that goeth about as a tailbearer, revealeth secrets. There's just something about dishing dirt. It gets you attention. That's why our news is no longer news. And we have all these other gossip programs and the people on The View and these other talk shows like that. It's just wicked. But it does get your attention. It gets your adrenaline going. And it's usually new and spices life up. For the worse, but spicy nonetheless. When I was a young Christian, my dad once interrupted me and said, Greg, you shouldn't be talking like that about so-and-so. You don't know if what you're saying is true. And what if they were right here in the room listening to the things that you're saying? I got mad at my dad when he said that and I just shut my mouth. But later I cooled down and I realized he was right and that as a Christian I need to do better. I also heard some good preaching and teaching through the years, especially those formative years. telling us, you know, don't be a tail bearer. As I've shared, some of what is said about gossip is not accurate or true. It's not just talking about somebody, but talking about somebody in a slanderous or malicious way. But I just spit the bones and eat the meat, and the matter has become clear to me over the years, especially in light of the words of Jesus in Matthew 12, 35-37. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned. We should all be committed to using our words in ways that please the Savior and will not cause us embarrassment and loss of reward at the judgment seat of Christ. We should do all to the glory of God, including the way we talk when talking about others.