In the Broadway play, The Music Man, a group of women sing a song, Pick a little, Peck a little. The song connects hens with gossiping women. But it is not only women who pick people apart. It is the sinful nature.
However, Jesus did not make fun of the Samaritan woman’s life. He did not condemn her or call her names for having so many husbands. He did not talk about her behind her back when the disciples returned from their shopping trip. In fact, he does not mention her to them at all (John 4:16-38).
If we are to be like Christ, we need to follow his example. What people share with us, we keep confident. What we know about people we do not reveal to others. Our conversations should be directed toward the needs of the person we are addressing.
Paul puts it this way, “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers” (Ephesians 4:29).
