GOSSIP: One of those common "little" sins that we often tolerate, but should not.

Prov 4:24 "Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you."

Col 3:8 "But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."

I READ A great essay, entitled The Danger of Gossip by Jared C. Wilson. He briefly discusses a few characteristics of gossip. Malice, where the subject's best interest is not  in view. Self-Oriented Curiosity, which is not only malicious, but is served up as juicy "entertainment". Pride or Envy, when the purpose is to make yourself look better by comparison.

My best friend's wife defines gossip as "confessing someone else's sins." Very aptly put.

MR. WILSON THEN goes on to outline three  methods to deal with gossip.
1. "Don’t say anything negative about someone that you wouldn’t say to them". If it's important enough to share, then share it with the person involved.
2. "Redirect others’ gossip with a gentle query about the intent". "So, why was it important for you to tell me this?" is my favorite question to ask a gossip.
3. "Rebuke repeated gossip and discipline unrepentant gossips." Gently and lovingly confront the gossip. If necessary, eventually Biblical church discipline may be required.

TO HIS THREE tactics, which are very good and useful, I'd add these:

If your speech is consistently and intentionally gracious, gospel-oriented, loving, edifying, Christ-honoring, you won't be gossiping.

And, never forget the words of the Savior:

"You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye." (Matt 7:5) 

Pay attention to your own self, and then and only then can you legitimately address someone else's problem.

I'D BE REMISS, however, to not mention James' warning: "[N]o human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison." (James 3:8) Getting your mouth under control is impossible apart from the Holy Spirit. Even the "best" Christian still has a sin nature that is not subject to "self-control". Attempting to put a stop to sin, any sin, by the power of the flesh is doomed to failure. As with anything else, confess, repent, accept God's forgiveness, and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, not the powerlessness of the flesh.