Whispering

I met a man today for the first time.

We had a pleasant chat.

We smiled. We laughed. We were genuinely curious about one another.

We shared stories. We firmly shook hands and said that we looked forward to seeing each other again.

He walked out the door and I walked through the door of my office feeling discombobulated with guilt and remorse.

My iWitness…

I thought I was old enough.
I figured I had been around the block enough times to know how to avoid the pitfalls.
I am a committed Christian for God’s sake and yet it happened again.

Once again I had fallen captive to believing the withering whispering of others. I had not even met this man and yet I had formed an opinion of him based on gossip and hearsay.

This man’s reputation preceded his arrival and I went into the meeting cocksure, fully believing the rumors and the gossip. I dishonored him by putting him in a little, tiny box that fits in the palm of my hand due to the enjoyment of listening to what a "little birdie" whispered in my ear.

Gossip is officially defined as “idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others.”

Let me ask a question… Which is more damaging?

Spreading the idle talk or rumor of someone or actually believing the idle talk or rumor?

Either way, I was guilty as charged!

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting this man. Minute by minute the layers of blindness were peeled off like an onion and my eyes were opened to the true nature and character of this man. The illumination was blinding. The eyes of my heart had to squint.

This man was pleasant, smiling, laughing, genuine, sharing and had a non-anxious presence.

I had come in to the meeting believing just the opposite.

The short meeting was over and he walked out with a skip in his step and I walked out ashamed of myself and kicking myself all the way back to the office vowing to never, ever fall into that trap again. Lord help me!

A dishonest man spreads strife,
and a whisperer separates close friends. (Proverbs 16. 28)

Shhh… no more whispering!!

And that’s my iWitness…
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!