A gossip bears this bad news behind his victim’s back. By definition, gossip occurs only when the subject of the story is not present. It is much easier and more interesting to discuss others when they are not around.
Gossip is clandestine, hidden, furtive, stealthy, sly (Proverbs 25:23; Psalm 101:4–5). The English Standard Version often names a gossip as “a whisperer,” which emphasizes the secretive nature of this sin (Proverbs 16:28; 18:8; 26:20, 22). Sometimes, you can catch yourself gossiping when you suddenly lower your voice, look around to see who might be listening, and step closer to your friend before speaking.
We might ask ourselves in such moments, “Would I be telling this story if he were here? Why or why not?” Am I hiding this conversation from anyone? Am I ashamed of it?” “Would I want someone else to talk this way about me if I were not in this room?”
Certainly there are times when we can, and even must, speak about people who are not present. You are not being a gossip when you call the police about a crime you witness, when you earnestly seek counsel on how to relate to someone in your life, or when you carefully warn someone else about a dangerous person (2 Timothy 4:14–15; Romans 16:17; Philippians 3:2). The presence of gossip depends in large measure on how you talk about people who are not present and why you talk about them. Which brings us to the heart of gossip.
Persecution Live 