taste my words to make sure that I can let them pass my teeth.” “Thou shalt not bear false witness,” says the Word of God! We find that troubles usually start in the church because someone has sown a malicious rumor, wheth er true or false is beside the point. God help us to refrain from circulat ing that which brings a reproach upon the work of God in a church. From that great love chapter of the Bible, we know that as far as the perfect trait of love is concerned, it does not rejoice in iniquity but it rejoices in the truth. It seems that some professing Chris tians are more interested in hearing scandal than in listening to the good news of eternal life. Being honest with ourselves we would have to bow our heads and say, “Lord Jesus, forgive me for saying some things that I had no right to say.” A case was brought before the court for hearing and a little boy was to testify. The prosecution felt confident that the lad’s testimony could be easily nullified by revealing the fact that the child had been coached as to what he should say. The prosecuting lawyer began his interrogation by wryly asking, “Now tell this Court, honestly, have you been coached as to what you are to say -— how you are to testify?” The boy thought for a moment, then with a wide grin he admitted that the matter had been discussed. Hie at torney coaxed him further, “Then tell these nice people how you were in structed.” The lad responded bravely, “Well, my daddy told me that there would be a man who would probably try to get me all mixed up, but that if I just told the truth, I could say anything I wanted to.” Satan seeks to ensnare our lips with a lying tongue, with hands that shed innocent blood, with a heart that de- viseth wicked imaginations — in short he attempts to involve us with all the things that God hates. But remember the command of God: “Thou shalt not bear false witness.” 7
had been maligned by a fellow work er, and added, “I do not know where he would ever get such rumors about me — I have never met or seen him.” A robber or thief may take our ma terial possessions, but a gossip will steal that which can never be replaced. I am reminded of a story about a newspaper reporter who tried to verify facts about the business transactions of a prominent man. He said, “I under stand you made a million dollars in cattle down in Oklahoma last year.” The answer he received revealed how, through gossip, facts are somewhat dis torted. The businessman responded by say ing, “Well, it wasn’t last year, it was two years ago. And it wasn’t in Okla homa, it was in Texas. What is more, "A Song of Low Degree" He that is down need fear no fall He that is low, no pride; He that is humble ever shall Have God to be his guide. I am content with what I have, Little be it or much; And, Lord, contentment shall I crave, Because Thou savest such. Fullness to such a burden is That go on pilgrimage; Here little and hereafter bliss, Is best from age to age. — John Bunyan it wasn’t cattle, it was oil. And it wasn’t a million dollars, it was two million dollars. But what is really dis torted is the fact that I did not make it, I lost it!” Gossiping, or false witness, may be borne by silence, a shrug of the should er, a wink of the eye or by actual words. Satan shows his cunning in tempting Christians to serve him in this field. A cleaning woman, working in a neighborhood of folk who were quite comfortable financially, was constant ly asked by her friends why she didn’t share some of the stories and gossip she heard about those for whom she worked. She gave them this answer upon which they might meditate: “Well, I’ll tell you — before I speak I always stop and
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