Grace for Gossips

"The first to present his case seems right, till another comes forward and questions him." - Proverbs 18:17

How many times did I preach that? Literally thousands. What a shame that the gossip flying around about me has failed to take that into consideration.

No one has called me asking, "Ron, I heard this said about you. Is it true?" Instead, like ignorant lemmings, they dial the phone and repeat the story. How pitiable.

Do you honestly want to know where I'm at? Here ya go: People will believe about me what they will. They will gossip about me what they will. They will spread their accusations, spread their lies, spread their manure. But you know what? It doesn't matter to me. Because I am Ron Daniel: a person that Jesus loves, a person that Jesus was abused and butchered for. He saved me - not because I was a pastor, a church builder, or nice happy guy. He saved me because I couldn't save myself. And to Him alone I will stand or fall (Rom. 14:4).

Those who go about as talebearers are doing the work of the devil (1Tim. 3:11, 2Tim. 3:3; Titus 2:3). Of course we all know that God hates divorce (Mal. 2:16) - but rest assured: He hates religious hypocrisy far more (Matthew 23).

Don't misread my tone: I am not angry. God forgives gossips just as He forgives those who get divorced. That's what's so great about grace: it's abundant for the undeserving (Eph. 2:8).