Dandelions

Read: Psalm 141:3; Ephesians 5:1-4

“I can’t believe it! I studied hard for that history test, and I only got a B!” Madelyn said as she and her mother walked Chestnut, their shaggy brown Yorkshire terrier. “But Ella said Jade cheated and got an A. It’s not fair!”

“Ella caught Jade cheating?” Mom asked.

“I don’t think she saw it happen, but Ella hears about everything. It must be true because Jade never gets A’s.”

They stopped to let Chestnut sniff the ground. The dog pulled the leash toward a cluster of white spheres anchored in the grass. They were dandelion seed heads. Madelyn picked a feathery globe and blew the seeds until only a bare stem remained.

“Look how far the seeds are traveling!” she exclaimed.

As Chestnut chased the flying seeds, Mom asked, “Do you know what happens when they land?”

“They’ll grow into yellow dandelions—pretty weeds!”

Mom nodded. “Isn’t it amazing? Those seeds look delicate, but they hold so much power—just like words that start gossip.”

“I know what you’re going to say, Mom—gossip spreads as easily as dandelion seeds. Now that I think about it, Ella told Jason and Hari about Jade. I told Alma, who is best friends with Jill, so she probably knows too.”

“See how words as flimsy as those seeds can take root and grow into gossip?”

Madelyn looked down. “When I was disappointed with my grade, talking about Jade somehow made me feel better. But I don’t feel good about it anymore. If Ella starts talking about Jade again, I’ll say I’d rather not talk about Jade behind her back.”

“That’s wise,” said Mom. “Jesus tells us to love one another the way He loves us, and that means we need to care about how our words affect others—even when it involves things that may be true. How would Jade feel if she knew you were telling people that she struggles to get good grades?”

Madelyn sighed. “She’d probably feel embarrassed and hurt—and she’d be even more hurt if she knew I spread gossip about her cheating because of it.” Madelyn looked at her mom. “I’ll ask Jesus to forgive me for listening to gossip and to help me not spread it myself. Instead of wasting time on gossip, I’ll use it to study and get that A!”

–Elena Dee

How about you? Do you spread gossip about others? A few words of gossip can quickly spread and take root—and hurt many feelings in the process. The next time you’re tempted to repeat something about someone that they’d find hurtful, stop and think about how much Jesus loves you. Then show that same love to others by not wasting time on gossip.

Today’s key verse: [Jesus said,] “You must love each other as I have loved you.” John 13:34 (NLV)

Today’s key thought: Don’t spread gossip