Gossip CUP

A woman repeated a bit of gossip about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community knew the story. The person it concerned was deeply hurt and offended. Later the woman responsible for spreading the rumor learned that it was completely untrue. She was very sorry and went to a wise old sage to find out what she could do to repair the damage. "Go to the marketplace," he said, "and purchase a chicken, and have it killed. Then on your way home, pluck its feathers and drop them one by one along the road." Although surprised by this advice, the woman did what she was told. The next day the wise man said, "Now go and collect all those feathers you dropped yesterday and bring them back to me." The woman followed the same road, but to her dismay, the wind had blown the feathers all away. After searching for hours, she returned with only three in her hand. "You see," said the old sage, "it's easy to drop them, but it's impossible to get them back. So it is with gossip. It doesn't take much to spread a rumor, but once you do, you can never completely undo the wrong."

An old and familiar story (well not familiar in the way that I've ever plucked the feathers from a dead chicken before....) but such a perfect analogy of what happens when our tongue is used to harm and to hurt and not to encourage. I have sure been guilty of it before, we all have been. The recent hurt I experienced reminded me of this story. It also taught me that I can't run around and try to repair the damage someone else caused me, I need to let God work that out. I just need to remain faithful myself and keep my tongue from hurting or harming others.

Just thought I'd share my thoughts with you before your wise old sage asks you to buy a chicken....now you can say you already know how this story ends.

Cheers!!