Trash talking and gutter gossip is nothing more than fruit from the pit of Hell! (Jas.3:1-12) and it seems to be such a big part of our society. We have TV shows and magazines solely dedicated around slander and gossip. It has always astounded me how different ones can constantly be involved with corrupt communication. Unfortunately, even in the midst of many communities of believers we see the cancer of gossip! But of course we clothe it with religious jargon saying it’s a prayer request. But sadly there never seems to be the prayer just the gossip.

Years ago I was invited to go with a medical team to the Philippines to minister. While I was there we went to a regional garbage dump to minister to a group of people who actually lived on the garbage heaps. These people spent their days rummaging through the toxic garbage from others looking for something of value but only to receive infection and sickness.

In the same manner people that are obsessed with listening and spreading hateful communication are themselves living amongst the most unrighteous mounds of spiritual trash. It is no better than eating out of a dumpster or living on a garage dump rummaging through others refuse. Some people think its spiritual to be a garbage can for others to dump their garbage, but actually we really are to be a trash man. A garbage can will get putrid and smelly and contain germs, but a trash man is one that takes someone’s garbage and puts it in a safe place to be covered up.

Paul exhorts the believers at Ephesus saying, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good …that it may impart grace to the hearers.” (Eph 4:29) The Greek word “corrupt” actually means rotten and worthless words. So Paul is telling us not to be involved in trash talk, but only those things that will uplift and bring grace to others. When you say things that tear others down and is not edifying it is lining yourself up with the devil who is called “the accuser of the brethren in Rev.12:10. The devil speaks evil of us and tears us down before God. In 1 Pet 5:8 it says that he goes about looking for whom he can devour. When individuals openly or secretly gossip they are bearing the fruit of the evil accuser.

I do realize that things that are healthy and living produce refuse and garbage. So therefore without a proper garbage system we would be in big trouble. We must have experienced trash men that are able to get rid of our toxic and disease infested garbage. It is the same in the church… there will be smelly trash and as Prov. 14:4 says there will also be poop in the stall. Therefore, we must decide whether we will be a “garbage can or a trash man” with other peoples garbage.

When we cast the weaknesses of others before the Lord through our prayers as in 1 Pet.5:7 and give biblical support, we are dealing properly with the garbage of others. But when we spread it or rummaging through it we resemble the varmint the scatters the garbage down the street making a bigger mess. Gossip is seldom the complete story or truth being twisted to fit the mood of the one spreading it, not to bring any kind of help.

In comparison to what we see the enemy of our soul doing before God, we see the picture of Jesus in Rom. 8:34 after His finished work on the cross going before the Father as our advocate and intercessor. It goes on to say that nothing will separate us from the love of God. The question we will have to answer is whether we are lining up with the accuser or the intercessor! Will we be a “garbage can or a trash man”! We have a choice.