A woman once went for confession, admitting to badmouthing people. The confessor, a wise old man, listened lovingly, absolved her and gave her a strange penance.  He told her to go home, get a hen, come back, plucking the bird’s feathers as she walked along the path.

When she returned to him, he said, “Now go back home and, as you go, pick up every feather that you plucked on the way”. The woman said that would be impossible since the wind had almost certainly blown them away in the meantime.

The confessor told her, “You see, just as it is impossible to gather up the feathers once the wind has scattered them, it is likewise impossible to gather gossip and slander back up once they have come out of your mouth”.

I recently read this story from Wisdom Stories to Live By.  I thought about this story and how I have been guilty of gossiping in my life.  If we are honest, we probably all have at one time or another. I have worked hard on ridding myself of this transgression as it can produce horrible consequences just as the story above details.  Once the words come out, you can never get them back and the damage is done. Words can give life, and words can kill depending on their intention. 

In Ephesians 4:29 we read these words: Let no corrupting words come out of your mouth, but only such that is good for building up those who are in need, that it may benefit those who listen.

It behooves us to think before we speak and not say things that are harmful, not only because scripture tells us to do so, but because we know in our hearts it is wrong and wicked.  God loves us unconditionally and while we may not be able to love others in this same way, it is our choice how we treat others.  Be kind, think before you speak and treat others as you would want to be treated.  Wise words to live by.  This is how He wants us to live.

Patty