Week 18 (Days 120-126): What's the difference between slander and gossip?

Hey Bible readers! Welcome to TBR Deep Dive. I'm Emma Daughter. I'm Kirsten McCloskey. And today we have some excellent questions to discuss. The first one comes from day 120, specifically from Psalm 102, verses 13 and verse 26. So I'll read those for us. Verse 13 says, You will arise and have pity on Zion. It is the time to favor her. The appointed time has come. They will perish, but you will remain. They will all wear out like a garment. You will change them like a robe, and they will pass away. So the question is, why is Jerusalem called Zion? Where does that name come from? Yeah, so let's, I'm going to do this second part of the question first. Okay. And then we'll- Where does the name come from? And then we'll see the progression of how the name Zion actually describes Jerusalem, and then it does even also describe all of Israel at times. So we'll first see the name Zion in 2 Samuel 5-7. And so that's when David conquers the city of Jerusalem. So the verse says, David captured the fortress of Zion, which is the city of David. So Zion was originally just another name for Jerusalem, and it means the highest point or fortification. Okay. The highest point. The highest point. Right. And so then when we see later when Solomon, David's son, built the temple, Zion also could refer to that temple area. So there's a lot of different ways that this word ends up kind of being used over the course of the Old Testament. But the temple area would still be in Jerusalem. Yeah, exactly. It would. But it's more about like the specific of talking about the temple and that temple area. Gotcha. Or the city in general. Exactly. Right. So in Psalm 132-13, it says, the Lord has chosen Zion. He has desired it for his dwelling place. So Zion can refer to, like you said, Jerusalem as the city as a whole, but also that temple in Jerusalem where God dwelt. I think about it because it's used kind of like a nickname, if you will. Yeah. For the city or for the temple area. Like a shorthand. Yeah, shorthand. But it has something to do with identity, describing the place where God dwells with his people, when you're, at least when you're talking about the temple. But when you look at how the prophets use the word Zion, they're often talking about the age to come. And in that instance, it's not just a hill in Jerusalem or the temple area. It's the literal place where God will dwell with his people in absolute fullness. And so the prophets use the Zion language to describe a future restored reality where God reigns and the nations are united and everything that's broken is made right. So when we're reading the prophets and we see Zion, there's almost like this much more hopeful. Yeah. That's what I was just thinking. Connotation. Yeah. And I think that's a really cool thing with when we look at something where it's just kind of like, okay, why is this called this? There's some very specific just practical reasons for that. But then there's also, I think it can give us this deeper, richer meaning behind it. And so I think as you're reading about Zion throughout the rest of the Old Testament, you can also be thinking about this was a hopeful place for the people of Israel and it will be a hopeful place in the end. So I think that that's really cool. And then Zion can also actually refer to the whole people of Israel. And so As a group. As a group, as God's chosen people. So the name Zion is significant. Regardless of whether it's referencing the city of Jerusalem, the temple, or used to describe the nation as a whole, because like what you said, this is where God is. This is where God is dwelling. So the name Zion would make people think about a place of refuge, a place of worship. It would mean safety from their enemies and it would be God's protection over his people. So I think as we're reading that, we can think about the hope and we can also think about those other things and like what that would have meant for them. But then also how we can think about God in that way for us to. I love it. I'm glad I didn't cut you off because I was going to say, let's move on to the next question, but you had so much more. So that's great. You ready to go to the next question? Let's go on to the next question. Sweet. Okay. So this next question is from day 121. And it's really more of a general question from Second Samuel. So the question is, TLC mentioned the span of years between David's anointing and his appointing. Why would God make David wait such a long time and suffer in the meantime? It feels like God is taunting David. Yeah. I, I, What do you think about that? I get why it could feel like God's just dangling something in front of David. Like he says, hey, congrats, you're, you're the anointed one. Right. And then it's 10 plus years of just waiting and suffering in, right in the waiting. Yeah. But, but biblically, I think it's, it becomes very clear that that gap is not God taunting David. Right. He's forming him. He's, he's growing up. Yeah. So, right. He's not dangling it in front of his face to say, but you like this actually isn't for you. He's not. It is for him. Right. Exactly. Just not yet. Yeah. And that's a key distinction that being anointed is not the same thing as being appointed. So anointing says, hey, God is setting you apart for this purpose. This is going to happen and God keeps his word, but appointing is when it actually happens, when David steps in and assumes that role. So, so it's like the promise and the fulfillment. Yeah. There's, David had the promise before he had the position. Yeah. God promised him one day you will sit on the throne, but it was one day, not today. Yeah. You know? Yeah. And I think that's significant because God cares just as much about what we do as he does who, who we are and who we'll become. So it's that character forming over simply a title or a role. Yeah. And the weight was his training ground. So in the wilderness, when David suffered, he's on the run, he learns things that just being handed a throne can't necessarily teach. So he learned how to trust when he has no control, how to trust God, how to lead with integrity when nobody's clapping or cheering or singing his praises, how to hear God's voice when life feels chaotic. And then we see that the suffering isn't random because we see David growing independence all throughout the Psalms. We see David learning to cling to God's character. Yeah. So I think this delay exposes what David truly believes about God because he's not trying to grab the crown by force. Right. And there are those times where he could. He could. Yeah. And so that is really important. Yeah. Totally. He'll let God give it to him and God's timing. And he's saying, I'm not going to sin to speed up God's promise. And that's a great demonstration of mature faith. Yeah. Yeah. That's really good. When I was thinking about this question, I was like, I would like to start by saying that I personally also find it very difficult to wait. Yes. So I resonate. Agreed. I resonate with the question like this because I think it's very natural for all of us to wonder, why is God making me wait? And especially, I think some of us, we might feel like we have these things that God has promised us, but also it's just hard to wait regardless for the things that you want. Yes. You know, whether God's promise, something God has explicitly promised or just something we desire. Exactly. Right. So it's really important to think about this because waiting is actually such a fundamental aspect of our Christian faith. It's a really important thing for us to figure out how do I wait well? And I think also that perspective of why does God make us wait? Because if we're leaning towards God's making me wait because he's taunting me in some way, we've got a bit of a distorted lens about God's character and what he's doing with us, through us, in us. So I think it's really important for us to wrestle with this. And I think that's where it's kind of like the premise of the question is maybe actually a little bit wrong or a little bit just looking at it from the wrong way. Because I think the question is maybe not necessarily, well, why would God make David wait? But why wouldn't God make David wait? Or like why is... Tell me more. Why is waiting? Why would we consider waiting something where we would automatically think God is punishing us or that it's bad for us? Yeah, why do we assume waiting is bad? Exactly. Because I think like what you just said, David's learning dependence, he's learning trust, he's learning about who God is in this time to make himself a much more fit king for God's people. So I think the expectation is actually maybe more influenced a little bit by our culture. And the idea of like, well, I don't ever want to wait. Instant gratification. Exactly. Like I want my instant gratification and value efficiency. So waiting is always bad or makes me question or confused or whatever. But so I think there's two reasons. I mean, there could be so many. Obviously, you've talked about other ones too. But here's the two that I think are good. Yeah. So two reasons for the waiting, trust and timing. So waiting taught David to rely on God and to trust him. He had to cling to God's promises in the midst of the suffering and the doubt. But it strengthened him. It drew him closer to the Lord. And it was life changing and transformative for David's life. And then waiting also taught David about God's timing. So this is, I think, one of the hardest things for me as I'm thinking about this in my own life, but believing that God's timing is better than mine, that there is a greater plan in God's timing than what I can just see in front of myself. And so David had to come to a place of surrender being like, OK, God, you've anointed me, King, you're the only reason I will ever be king of Israel. You've started this. So I have to believe that you're the one that's going to finish it. It's a he does the doing kind of moment. He does. Yeah. And so that's super applicable for David's story. So I think just as we kind of wrap this up, I would say a few questions we can ask ourselves. Like, why is our assumption that we either won't have to wait or we shouldn't have to wait? Or that waiting is bad. Yeah. Why do we assume that? So if we're thinking like that, we're going to get frustrated, but that's not God's not saying, you're never going to have to wait as a Christian. Like, we wait all the time. We're waiting for Jesus to come back. We're waiting for that hope of renewed creation. So we are actually a people who wait. And we can also, I think, consider our attitude while we're waiting. You know, are we impatient? Do we accept God's plans and God's timing? Are we relying on Him in the midst of that? Are we taking matters into our own hands? Grasping for control. Yeah. David's a really good example of someone who waited well. And so let's let him be an encouragement to us as we're waiting, which is not easy to do. No, not easy. Easy or said than done. Yeah. But important nonetheless. But important, exactly. Good, Kirsten. You ready for the next question? Yeah. This one comes from day 123, specifically from Psalm 106, verse one, which says, Praise the Lord. O give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. And then our question. The Psalms are full of references to God's steadfast love. What does that phrase mean? And why does it show up so much? Yeah. So it shows up a lot because it actually means kind of a lot of different things. There's a lot packed into this phrase. What we translate as in English, a steadfast love, comes from the Hebrew word chesed. Yeah. Very good. Excellent pronunciation. I love when we do our pronunciations of the words. If you speak Hebrew and would like to correct me on that, feel free. Leave it in the comments. Yeah, leave it in the comments. We love to hear from you. Because I might be saying chesed a few times during this. We'll see how I feel. But it's a rich and it's a nuanced word, and we see it over 200 times in the Old Testament. So this is all over the place. And what we have here is like we don't have a totally appropriate or appropriate, maybe not the right word, but we don't have an English word that totally encapsulates the meaning of that Hebrew word. So sometimes it's mercy, sometimes it's steadfast love, sometimes it's loving kindness, sometimes it's unfailing love. So there's just a lot of ways that you can look at it. But in essence, the word in relation to God means that God is dependable. His love is enduring. God is merciful. He has loyal love. He's always, always, always concerned about his people. So his chesed shows his consistent, reliable devotion to his people and his desire to do good for them and to do good towards them. So that's some of that steadfast love. Yeah, I would sum it up by saying God's steadfast love is that he is loyal. He's covenant keeping, and he does not quit, even though people do. So it's not just God feels nice towards you or God likes you. It's God chooses to love. He binds himself to his people, and then he stays faithful when his people are not. It's that everlasting commitment to his people. It doesn't go away. Right. Yeah, absolutely. I think another piece of this is that God is really determined in this. Like there's all these different ways you can unpack it, but God is so determined in his commitment and his loyalty to his people. He's unwavering. Another word you can throw in there. And it's not because he has to do this, but it's because he's chosen to, and he's determined, and that's never going to change. So there's certainty. There's the certainty element to God's steadfast love, his loyal love, his consistent love. That's good. I think it's unique that Psalm 106 especially highlights Israel's continuing to fail. They fail over and over and over again, and God keeps rescuing. His steadfast love means he doesn't give up on his promises or his people, but his character is consistent. So that also means he's committed to us. To you guys listening, not just when we're good, but because he is good. Yeah. And I would just encourage those listening. If you don't feel like you're living in this love, like if what we're describing feels maybe foreign to you, pray. Ask God to show you his steadfast love to remind you how he feels towards you because if you're a believer in Christ, you're one of God's kids. Yeah, you're included in it. God's steadfast love is towards you. Yes. Which means his mind is made up about us. So when you sin, he doesn't change his mind. When we fall short, when we fail, he doesn't change his mind because of the finished work of Jesus on the cross, his resurrection, defeating death, saving those who believe in him. That means if we believe in him, we can run to him when we sin rather than feeling like we need to work our way back toward him or we need to hide from him. We can know with certainty that when we run to him, we will be met with this steadfast love. That's cool. So when you read the Psalms and you see this phrase, let it be a reminder of your father's love for you that he cares about you deeply even when you fall short. Yeah, 100%. And I feel like because we, when we kind of unpack, okay, what was this talking about in the Psalms to God's people at that time, like, we can then think, what does this mean to us today, like what you were talking about? And so God is 100% committed to you, to me, to us, like the people that are his people. He's committed. His love is sure. It's loyal. God's never going to betray you or change your mind about how he feels about you, like what you were saying. He's devoted. He's dependable. His love for us is going to last forever. That's steadfast love. That's awesome. I would also add, I'd be curious if you have any practicals, but like what to do when you need to be reminded of his love. So for me, if I need to be reminded of a truth about God's character, worship music is really helpful. Making myself be continuously reminded of truth, whether that's why I'm driving in the car, getting ready for the day, or putting away a laundry, making sure that the voices I'm consuming are redirecting me toward truth rather than just like numbing out on something that's morally neutral or having maybe like what might feel more fun or easier, but choosing to dwell on truth in those instances. What about you? Yeah. I mean, I think that's great. I think for me, when I'm like, I need this reminder of God's love, I think oftentimes it's just those brief moments of saying to God, like whether it's a whisper, even almost like this unconscious, like I don't feel either, I don't feel lovable today and I need you to remind me that I am and that you've chosen me and that you love me or just like I feel like maybe I feel that God looks on me with disappointment or something like that. Because those moments of being like, okay, God, I know that this isn't true, but I need you to tangibly get this in me. I think that sometimes, because I'm a big feeler, so it's like I need to feel this. I need it in a way that it's not just in my head, but in my heart. And we all need that whether we're feelers or more thinkers or whatever. But I think that can be powerful. And it can be something where it's like, God, show me in such a tangible way that then could come through someone in your church, someone in your small group, like a dear friend. So you're friends for you. Yes, exactly. So God shows us His love in a lot of different ways. But I think sometimes for me, it can be like, I'm going to need this really practical, please help me, you know, help me feel that. That's good. As you were sharing, I was reminded just last night, I called a friend. I had a break in between sessions and class. And I gave her a call and she'd been caring for me really well. And so I was just like, Hey, is anyone checking on you? Yeah. And she was doing fine. Yeah. But then at the end of the call, she said, Hey, I just, I just want you to know, like, even though I don't need anything from you right now, I really felt loved that you asked. That's awesome. And that showed me God's love. Yeah. And I was like, wow, like, I just thought, I hope someone's checking in on her, like, better give her a call. I was like, almost like an afterthought. But my willingness to do that showed her the love of God in a sweet and encouraging. Yeah. That's great. That's awesome. All right. Our next question is coming from day 125 from Psalm 212. So let me read the verse. The verse says, Kiss the sun, lest he be angry and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. What does it mean to kiss the sun? That's our question. I got to say, it took everything in me not to blow you a kiss as you were reading that. Oh, I would have loved that. It does sound a little strange for us today. Yeah. Like, who are we talking about? What is this? Yes. And that's understandable. So kiss the sun is ancient language for submission and loyalty to a king. Okay. So it says sun because the king is the son of God. But the idea is that, or the gesture is to show loyalty to a king. Yeah. That's what the kiss part is. Yeah. So in the ancient world, you'd kiss a king's hands or feet to communicate, hey, I honor you. I am loyal to you. I'm under your authority. Just like, you know, we might shake hands when we meet someone as a sign of respect and look them in the eye. Or some cultures bow or yeah. Yeah. Similar gestures. So Psalm two is basically saying, hey, don't rebel against God's chosen king. Jesus. Yeah. Instead, humble yourself, honor him, trust him. It wasn't romantic or weird. Yeah. Culturally appropriate. So you could sum it all up by saying that the Psalm is communicating. Kissing the sun means stop resisting Jesus or stop resisting God's best and willingly surrender to Yahweh's rule. Yeah. And in this case, this Psalm is talking about God's anointed. And so they wouldn't have necessarily known, okay, this is about Jesus. It's a good distinction. But they are understanding culturally. This is about submitting to God and submitting to the one that God has anointed, the Messiah. So it's about paying homage or respect to him. And I think honestly, in a couple of different other translations, it's a little bit easier to get this point across. So the amplified Bible says, pay respect to the sun. And the NLT translates this submit to God's royal sun. They leave out the kiss. Yes. So they're a little bit... Kiss language. They're basically helping us understand that cultural piece. They're just putting it in there. They're saying this is what it is. It's good. And so like you said, it's the sign of respect and it's from a subordinate to a superior. And it can also show allegiance. I can't remember. It's a loyalty. Okay, but allegiance is a good descriptor. So loyalty or allegiance to someone you are in a covenant relationship with. So that's kind of an interesting piece of that too. And again, this is a messianic Psalm. It's about God's coming king. And what I thought was kind of interesting is like, again, in this Psalm, we see that not everyone is thrilled about this king. The Psalm starts off with the question, why do the nations rage and the people's plot in vain? So not everyone is on board with God's plan here, but God is sovereign and his Messiah will come. So these earthly kings and rulers are encouraged to submit to God because he is the true ruler overall. So he needs that respect. He's worthy of that respect. And I think if we're kind of just bringing it to us a little bit, like this is a good reminder to us that our selfish ambitions, our pride, or any other kind of sins that we're struggling with might actually tempt us to rebel against God at some points, like to not bow to him, to not respect him, to not show that loyalty to him. And so it might seem like a small thing in comparison with like what's going on in this Psalm, but I think it's important because it's for us too, this idea of we want to surrender to God in the way that these kings and the rulers of the nations were being called to do. It's at the principle behind the gesture. Yeah. It's still very relevant to us today. Yes, totally. Yeah, that's such a good way of putting it. And I think it's cool because then this Psalm actually ends with a promise that those that surrender to God and his anointed Jesus, we can rest assured that we're going to be blessed because we take refuge in him. So we'll be blessed because of our surrender to the King of Kings, to the sovereign God of the universe. So good, Gerson. It's fine. I don't have anything else to add. That was excellent. That's awesome. The final question comes from day 125, specifically from Psalm 15.3, which reads, Who does not slander with his tongue and does no evil to his neighbor, nor takes up a reproach against his friend? And I felt like this was an excellent question. So, I just recaptured and asked, what's the difference between slander and gossip or any other kind of bad speech? Yeah. So maybe let's start by defining gossip and slander so we can see how they're different. Yep, that's perfect. Yeah. So, slander, so the Hebrew word that we're translating here in English as slander means to go about maliciously. So there's an element where it's, there's evil intent behind this speech that slander is. So slander attacks someone's character and it wants to damage their reputation. And another important thing about slander is that it's always speaking falsely. So there's like no truth in slander. It's got this evil intent and it's not true things that are being said. So it's malicious and it's false. Okay, so then gossip doesn't have this same malicious intent, but it's still harmful. Gossip is sharing information about someone else's life, their relationships, their choices, whatever, behind their backs. It might seem harmless, but if it's not something that you would say kindly, respectfully to the person's face, don't say it to someone else. That's gossip. It can be sharing and spreading rumors and it's also sometimes referred to as idle talk. Idle, IDLE. Yep, idle talk. So it's, again, it doesn't have that same malicious intent, but I know all of us have seen the fruit of gossip and what that leads to and that is why God says have no part in this. Yeah. Yeah. I would sum up the distinction by saying gossip is talking about someone else's business or even their failures specifically when you're not part of the solution. And it can also include sharing information that's not true. So talking about, hey, I heard this rumor about Kirsten. Have you heard what Kirsten's up to? And I might not even know if that's true, but I'm still talking about it behind your back. Yeah. Can you say, tell me more about what was the first thing you said about when you're not part of the solution? Yeah, tell me what you mean by that. It would be one thing. So let's say our friend Terri. Let's say she's sick. And I come to you and I'm like, hey, Terri's sick. We need to bring her some meals this week. And I'm sharing that Terri's sick, but we're working together to care and love for our friend versus let's say Terri's sick. And I come to you and I'm like, well, Terri's sick. That's a bummer for her. Like let's go do XYZ without her or say something mean. That would maybe be more gossipy or more gossipy would be like, oh, did you hear that so and so chose not to go care for Terri? Like I can't believe they're a terrible friend. That would be gossip because that's not productive. That's not showing Terri love. That's not showing that person love. It's just foolish, idle talk, right? Whereas slander is saying false or distorted things that often can damage someone's reputation, which is often more intentional and more intentionally destructive. It's got that evil undercurrent. Yes, yes. Totally. That's cool. Well, that's not cool. It's not cool, but it's a clear distinction. And it's helpful to see the distinction. It's not cool. Yeah, don't slander or don't. Yeah, we're out of those. But those distinctions are very helpful. This is why it's important to choose your words wisely. Okay. I just wanted to mention that the Bible also addresses other types of hurtful speech. So there's many ways that we can sin with our words. Yes, gossip, yes, slander, but also speaking out in anger, flattery, coarse speech or inappropriate language. Yeah. Lying is an obvious one. Yeah. Lying is up because certainly we want to be intentional about what we say, how we say it, and who we're saying it to. And gossip and slander, though that's what we're focusing on today, are not the only ways to sin with our speech. Totally. It's a slippery slope. Yes, it is a slippery slope. Yeah. And so I think, thank you for leading into so perfectly why it's important to protect ourselves from the sin. You're welcome. Why should we protect ourselves? Well, so I was looking at it from kind of just two perspectives. So two things are hearts and our tongues. So remember what Jesus said. I know what you're going to say. Exactly. What Jesus said in Luke 6.45, out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. So we need actually a heart check first if we're going to stop ourselves from this kind of bad speech in whatever form it's taking, especially if we realize, like, oh man, maybe as we're going through these definitions, you're like, oh, I definitely have been gossiping. You know, I didn't even maybe realize that I was, but I was. So speaking about someone in these ways doesn't flow from a heart that seeks to love and respect that person. Slander comes from a heart that feels hate and resentment and bitterness. And so repentance is actually the place that we need to start. Something as simple as Jesus, I recognize that my heart is not right towards filling that person's name. Trevor. Help me look at him. Shout out to anyone listening. Trevor. I'm sorry, buddy. So help me love Trevor as you do. Forgive me for saying the untrue things about him and slandering him or gossiping about him or whatever it was. Help me with this. Yeah. And then after we get our hearts right and deal with that, that's when kind of that overflow then is going to switch from slanderous speech, gossip, lying, whatever, to the positive kind of speech. Saying truth, saying kind things, or just holding our tongues when we need to. You know, like that. Self-control. Yeah. I think that like who says this? If you don't have anything. Nice to say don't say it at all. Nice to say don't say anything at all. Moms say this. Other people say this. Moms everywhere. Moms everywhere. So there is that reality of like that's a good thing to think about. Why would I add to this negative conversation or this gossipy conversation? No, maybe I need to leave the room and just get out of there. So. It's good. Yeah. I was thinking practically like questions to ask yourself. Yep. As you slow down before you speak and consider should I hold my tongue? Yeah. Asking yourself as what I'm about to say true. Yeah. Is it mine to say? Yeah. And is it helpful? And then check your motive. Why am I considering speaking? The motive, yes, exactly. Am I saying this to help or maybe to feel important? Yeah. Or included. I think that desire to be a part of something is often why we'll fall into gossip. Yeah, I think that's a big one. Or to entertain others sometimes. And then talk to people, not about people. Yeah. So if there's a problem, Trevor. Trevor. You can go to the person directly. Jesus gives us that instruction in Matthew 18. If your brother sins against you, go and tell it to them. Yep. And then lastly, fill your mind with better things. Like you mentioned Jesus' words out of the overflow of the heart. The mouth speaks. You speak what you're full of. So if the scriptures are telling us that what is in our hearts will come out. Yeah. If gossip and slander are frequently coming out of my mouth. Yeah. That's telling me something about what's going on inside my heart. Yep. And I've got to be honest about that. Yeah. And then lastly, repent quickly when you mess up. Yeah. As you talked about well. Yep. I think those are my practicals. Yeah. But I was also reminded about Paul's letter to the church in Ephesus. Yeah. And he talked a lot about how we talk, both to and about each other. Yeah, true. And he was concerned with making the church healthy and strong. And he knew that words could serve to either build up or tear down that local church as a whole or group of churches. And so here's a sampling of what he said in Ephesians 4, 29 through 32. He says, Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouth, but only such as is good for building up as fits the occasion that it may give grace to those who hear. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted for giving one another as God and Christ forgave you. So I read that. And I think, man, our words to each other and about each other reveal what we believe about Jesus. That last part, be kind, tenderhearted, forgive as Christ does to you. Yep. Yep. And so we want to treat others the way that Jesus treats us. And he should be setting the tone for us when it comes to our interactions. And it's our opportunity, our speech is our opportunity to demonstrate his love, his character, his heart to a watching world. Yeah. That's good. So I got fantastic. Fantastic. Thanks, Kirsten. Trevor, that one was for you. That was for you, Trevor. All the Trevers are celebrating as they listen to this podcast, sitting in traffic on their way to work, wherever you are. We're glad you're here. We see you, Trevor. We see you. All right. Well, thank you so much for taking a deep dive with us. We will see you again next week as we continue to read, understand and love the Bible and the God who wrote it.