
185 | Our Words
THINKING BIBLICALLY ABOUT OUR WORDS | Gossip, Slander, and Taming the Tongue What does the Bible say about gossip, slander, criticism, and the way we speak about others? Is it gossip if what we are saying is true? And how do we know when it’s appropriate to share negative information about someone? In this episode of Thinking Biblically, we are looking at what Scripture teaches about the power of our words and why the way we speak matters so much to our Christian walk. This is a topic I have personally wrestled with for years. As someone who ministers with words, I also struggle! I have had to confront patterns of criticism, gossip, and people-pleasing in my own life, and I’ve learned some difficult lessons about how our speech affects our relationships and reflects the condition of our hearts. We will walk through: Passages in James, Proverbs, Ephesians, and the teachings of Jesus to understand what it means to bridle our tongues Some of my own experiences with destructive speech and the difference between gossip and slander The seven principles I’ve learned from studying the Jewish teaching on lashon hara (the evil tongue) The convicting lesson that just because something is true doesn’t mean we have the right to say it My prayer is that this conversation encourages you to examine your own words alongside me and consider how we can speak in ways that honor God and build up the people around us. Scripture Referenced: James 1–3, Proverbs 18:21, Proverbs 21:23, Proverbs 12:18, Proverbs 15:4, Proverbs 10:19, 1 Peter 3:10, Ephesians 4:29, Matthew 15:11, Matthew 18, Romans 1 CONNECT WITH EVERY WOMAN A THEOLOGIAN Subscribe to this channel and never miss an episode of Verity Podcast Sign up for our weekly newsletter: https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/newsletter/ Shop our Bible studies, theology resources, prayer guides, and NEW Advent devotional https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/ ADVENT RESOURCES Prepare your heart and home for Christmas with our newest Advent resources, including The Scarlet Thread, a 25-day journey through the entire biblical story leading up to the birth of Christ, and The Right Prevail, a devotional for those navigating grief, doubt, and difficult seasons during Advent. Explore these and our other biblical resources in the Every Woman a Theologian Shop. If this episode was helpful, subscribe to the channel, share it with a friend, and join us for more conversations about what it means to think biblically about everyday life. https://phyliciamasonheimer.com/ #ThinkingBiblically #VerityPodcast #PhyliciaMasonheimer #EveryWomanATheologian #ChristianLiving #BiblicalWisdom #Gossip #TamingTheTongue














