Party Mouth

Last week I attended an after-work party at a co-workers home in honor of a person who is leaving our employ, and with whom I have worked very closely over the last year.  There were only two Christians there, myself included and most of the group had been working in the same office suite for several years.  We shared food and drink, laughter and conversation.  I wish it could all be positive, but it was not.  Most of the drinks were alcoholic, and though I left early enough to avoid seeing anyone drunk, people had certainly "let their hair down".  What bothered me more than anything else was the amount of "catty" behavior being displayed, the all-out gossip and the tendency to bash those who were not in attendance.  One other person who had left even before I had was also the target of some rather unkind remarks.   Frankly, it had me wondering what remarks were made about me after I left the party.

As Christians we are called to be different from the world.  Does it really take being able to gossip and verbally abuse people behind their backs in order to have a good time?  If this were a church setting I would probably be taking people aside and encouraging them to go to the altar and repent of their behavior!  As it was I was happy that I had an excuse to leave early. 

My attitude and opinion of people at work has certainly changed.  I am not as likely to be open and frank in a personal sense with these people as I was before.  It is not that I was personally attacked, but I cannot be certain that the possibility does not exist.  I cannot trust them.

Can people trust you?  Do they know that if you are friends to their face that they are friends when they are not with you?  If not, maybe you need to go to the altar and discuss the situation with God, too.


"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."     Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

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