Hey Community! We can go places too...

Yes it’s true, we have a LOT to be proud of as Pakistani Christians; there is talent galore and many faithful and wonderful God-fearing families. That being said, why are our people still such a hidden gem? Do other religions and even other Christian communities have greater numbers than us? Are they working harder than us?

The answer is a loud echoing NO. We have numbers and strength that may even exceed others but what we have many other communities have been able to bypass when it comes to furthering their causes and lifting up individuals with unique opportunities. We have GOSSIP and LIES.

Oh yes, that’s what it’s all about right? Godforsaken bitter jealous gossip and lies, the recipe for all our successes (or lack of) together.  How could any Christian man or woman in their right minds feel that this kind of deceitful and wicked behaviour causes any positive outcomes? We are pastors, fathers, mothers, daughters and sons, uncles, aunts and more than anything we are people of a TRUE and JUST God. How can you claim to be a follower of Jesus and associate yourself with evil?

So as our first blog here at The PC Inquirer we’ll be splitting these topics into a two part article:

PART ONE: GOSSIP IS NOT OF GOD.

Was it really necessary for me to write that? You should all know this but clearly in Canada, the Pakistani Christian community has lived up to only half its namesake.. You might be Pakistani but the Christian has gone utterly blind.

www.gotquestions.org tells us that:

The Hebrew word translated “gossip” in the Old Testament is defined as “one who reveals secrets, one who goes about as a talebearer or scandal-monger.” A gossiper is a person who has privileged information about people and proceeds to reveal that information to those who have no business knowing it. Gossip is distinguished from sharing information in two ways:

1. INTENT. Gossipers often have the goal of building themselves up by making others look bad and exalting themselves as some kind of repositories of knowledge.

2. TYPE OF INFORMATION SHARED. Gossipers speak of the faults and failings of others, or reveal potentially embarrassing or shameful details regarding the lives of others without their knowledge or approval. Even if they mean no harm, it is still gossip. – However in the cases that we regularly see occurring in our community today, the perpetrators MEAN HARM.

The bible actually calls out gossip as being a SIN.

“They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” – Romans 1:29-32

In this passage Paul is revealing the sinful and lawless ways of man; God distinguishes these people as being those who are under HIS WRATH.

The book of Proverbs also lists verses on length that cover the serious and dangerous sin of gossip and the painful effects it has on the victims of gossip.

“A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbour, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret” - Proverbs 11:12-13

“A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends” - Proverbs 16:28

Get it? Look at these words: WICKEDNESS, EVIL, GREED, DEPRAVITY, ENVY, MALICE, LACKING JUDGEMENT, BETRAYAL, DISTRUST, PERVERSION, SEPERATION. Are these the words that we want describing us as followers of Jesus? This is how we are to show that we deserve justice? We hurt our own emotionally mentally and spiritually, stir up trouble and cause bitterness and anger among friends and family. We look to destroy our brothers and sisters in Christ and believe you me (if not me then believe THE WORD OF GOD) this is ALL you are doing when you send nasty emails and degrading letters especially about people that have been of help to you at some point in your lives.

When gossips are confronted, they deny the allegations and answer with excuses and rationalizations. Rather than admit wrongdoing, they blame someone else or attempt to minimize the seriousness of the sin. The bible talks about these too: “A fool's mouth is his undoing, and his lips are a snare to his soul. The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man's inmost parts” - Proverbs 18:7-8

"Those who guard their tongues keep themselves from calamity" - Proverbs 21:23

So we must guard our tongues and refrain from the sinful act of gossip. If we surrender our natural desires to the Lord, He will help us to remain righteous. Shouldn’t that be our goal in every situation we get into? Even if we don’t like someone, even if we don’t want something to happen remember GOD COMES FIRST. Don’t let the devil use you as his pawn. Don’t give into evil to make your point. If you are working for your community then you MUST work for God, and if you are on the right path He will provide the opportunity and the ways to do what you need without degrading yourselves.

And one more thing friends, remember this isn’t Pakistan.. in these countries even slander comes with legal consequences greater than just guilt. Many of you came here to leave the persecution of Pakistan, let’s not create a persecuted Christian church here.