(a blog series on stopping the drama through living through the power of Christ’s forgiveness in relationships).

First, we found in the last few posts we found that we are part of the drama. Second, When it comes to drama, we cannot live with continual conflict between relationships and honor God. Drama is usually started with a desire to be right and make others look wrong. The fastest way to start drama is to gossip.

What is gossip? It can also be defined as talk or writing about another person or situation with desire or intention to hurt them. Gossip can be the truth or a lie. Gossip literally means, "to whisper."

Why do people gossip?

- Pride (building yourself up while making others look bad) - Bitterness, anger (“vent” to make themselves feel better) - Lower self-esteem - Jealousy - Influence of peers - Must "be-in-the-know"

How to stop the drama?

(3) Talk to the person and quit talking about the person. If families simply followed this statement, there would be more harmony and love. Gossip betrays relationships. If they talk about others, they probably talk about you. Proverbs 18:8 says, "The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts." Gossip reveals the true nature of a person’s heart. If you have a barrier between you and another person, quit talking about them and go talk to them about it.

Parents, either you Influence your children to stop drama or start drama. If you stand by and allow one person to slander another, are you guilty just as well? Character assassination happens when slander is accepted. We will all at certain times be hurt deeply by others, even close friends. If you do not learn to answer the bitterness with forgiveness it can take over your life! We live in a world that celebrates tearing down others to make yourself look good. Are we teaching this verse in the home, “Love keeps no record of wrongs” 1 Corinthians 13:5. Forgiveness forgets but bitterness keeps a detailed list.

Matthew 18, 6:14-15, and Luke 6:45 are one of the most ignored scriptures in all of the Bible.

Jesus said," “If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses." Matthew 18:15-16

Jesus said, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" Matthew 6:14,15.

Jesus said, "A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart." Luke 6:45 (NLT)

A lot of drama would be resolved if we simply obeyed Jesus.Without forgiveness it leads to a cycle of revenge that consumes our lives. Gossip is the enemy of building trust in relationships.

Overall, our goal should be to be peacemakers. Hebrews 12:14-15, “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. ¹⁵ See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.”