Proverbs 20:19

Proverbs 20:19

He who goes about as a talebearer reveals secrets;
Therefore do not associate with one who flatters with his lips.
...

Gossiping is NOT a good idea. It’s bad for you, your family, and for those who associate with you. I’ve always said, anyone who will lie for you, will lie to you. Sometimes folks will “appear” to be your friend, someone you can trust, so you share things with them. And before you know it, folks are looking at you differently, treating you differently….you’ve become a pariah, even to those close to you. So FINALLY someone actually tells you why. That “good friend” told everyone what you told them in confidence, and your reputation is now ruined by something that happened years ago. Something that is a part of your testimony, something you’ve been set free from, and have been forgiven of is now front and center in your world now. And that “friend” is now cozying up to other folks to do the same thing to them. And of course, if you warn those future potential victims that person tells them, “oh, he/she is just lying because you and I are close now. He/She is just jealous of how close we’ve gotten.” Uh huh. It won’t be long and that friend you warned will come back to you and say, “Man I wish I would’ve listened to you.” He/She did exactly what you told me they would do.
Don’t be that person. The one who strategically gets to know folks in order to learn their secrets and spread them. It will NOT end well for you. At the very least, you’ve probably got a good beating coming. Sadly, there are folks like that in every church, place of business, job, group of friends…..EVERYWHERE!!! There are those who will “butter you up”. Feed your ego, tell you how good you are. That’s why the bible (specifically all throughout Proverbs) warns multiple times about pride. It was the first sin and was committed IN HEAVEN!!! Lucifer’s head got too big and he decided he was going to replace God. He was going to set up his own kingdom. Forgetting of course, that he is a creation, not the Creator. Pride. It literally came before Lucifer’s fall.
So if you catch yourself getting caught up in someone’s admiration for you, be careful. There may indeed be an ulterior motive at work there. It may well be innocent, but anyone trying to create, or feed pride in you, may not have your best interests at heart. Of course it may well be something else entirely, but that’ll be for another day. Have a great day and God bless. James