The Absent One Among Us

ZECHARIAH 8:16
These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgement in your courts.

The Late AMY CARMICHAEL, missionary leader in India, said that her mission had a rule for conversation: "The absent one must be safe among us." That was her way of reminding people not to talk about another person in a derogatory way in their absence; when we would never say the same thing in their presence.
    Amy Carmichael was not the first to observe such a principle. St. Augustine had a motto  over his table which read, "He that speaks an idle word against an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table." Augustine had remembered the word of Jesus, who said, "But I tell you that men Will have to give account in the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken" (Matthew 12:36).
   How many times this past week have you heard someone say, "Did you hear about so-and-so?" And you replied, No, what happened?' And they began to relate a choice but of news that may have been totally out of context, is so distorted as to make  the truth appear false.
   Yesterday I was with two businessmen, and one asked the other, "Where were you this past weekend?" He replied, "Oh, I was up in the mountains with my Secretary." I joined the conversation and said, " And I hope your wife was along." He smiled as he said, "Oh, I guess you did not know that my secretary is my wife," How much damage could have been done with only the first half of that conversation?
   Should you be tempted to gossip, remember Amy Carmichael's  motto, "The absent one must be safe among us."