We Don’t Start the Fire
Scripture
“Fire goes out without wood,
and quarrels disappear when gossip stops.
A quarrelsome person starts fights
as easily as hot embers light charcoal or fire lights wood.
Rumors are dainty morsels
that sink deep into one’s heart.
Smooth words may hide a wicked heart,
just as a pretty glaze covers a clay pot.”
Proverbs 26:20–23 (NLT)
There’s something about gossip that feels strangely appealing. Proverbs calls it a “dainty morsel” because it seems tasty in the moment, but like junk food for the soul, it doesn’t nourish, it corrupts. Rumors sink deep into the heart, poisoning relationships, sowing division, and sparking conflict. What feels like harmless chatter can quickly become fuel for a destructive fire.
And gossip isn’t always obvious. Sometimes it dresses itself up with “smooth words” or even spiritual camouflage: “Have you heard about so-and-so? We need to pray for him.” But Scripture pulls back the curtain and shows us the truth: gossip flows from a wicked heart, not a loving one.
As a follower of Jesus, you’re called to a better way. Instead of spreading the flames of division, you can be the one who helps put the fire out.
“No one wishes to become a creator of lies, and yet he who hears slanders with pleasure and believes them with readiness will hatch many a brood into active life.”
— Charles Spurgeon¹
When gossip comes your way, you don’t have to take the bait. You can change the subject, refuse to pass it on, or gently call it out for what it is. Choosing silence in the face of gossip isn’t weakness, it’s wisdom.
Your words have power. They can either tear down or build up, spark destruction or bring peace. So the next time a rumor lands in your ear, be the one who lets it die there instead of passing it on.
Reflection
- Why do you think gossip feels so appealing to us, and what does it reveal about the heart?
- How can you actively respond when gossip or rumors come your way?
- In what ways can your words today build others up and reflect the heart of Christ?
Prayer
Thank God for the power of words to heal and encourage. Ask Him to help you resist the temptation of gossip and instead speak life. Pray for the courage to shut down destructive words and to be a peacemaker in your relationships.
Footnote
¹ Charles H. Spurgeon, Lectures to My Students, Complete and Unabridged (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1982), p. 328.