2 Samuel 1:4-20
It’s fascinating to me how different various narratives can be, depending on one’s perspective and the source of one’s information. If we tend to lean politically to the left or the right, we likely listen to news outlets who share our point of view. Social media uses algorithms designed to put stories and ads in front of us, based on our search history and the things we “like”. It reinforces our convictions and deepens our resolve. Such intentional manipulation of data leads to what is often called confirmation bias.
As followers of Christ, what we say and how we say it matters. In His sermon on the mount, Jesus urges us to simply “let your yes means yes, and your no mean no. Anything more than this comes from the evil one (Matthew 5:37, CEB).” The first several verses of James 3 warn us about the power of the tongue. Verses 7 and 8 warn, “People can tame and already have tamed every kind of animal, bird, reptile, and fish. No one can tame the tongue, though. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison (James 3:7-8, CEB).”
One of the propaganda posters in World War II cautioned that “loose lips sink ships.” That sentiment, however, has been around from the dawn of communication. Consider the counsel that King David gives in verse 20 of our passage after learning of the death of King Saul. “Don’t talk about it in Gath; don’t bring news of it to Ashkelon’s streets, or else the Philistines’ daughters will rejoice; the daughters of the uncircumcised will celebrate (2 Samuel 1:20).”
The Early Church saw this as good counsel when it comes to gossip. John Chrysostom, who died in 407, wrote, “Do not say to me, ‘I told so-and-so.’ Keep the story to yourself. If you did not manage to keep quiet, neither will he manage to keep his tongue from wagging.”
Though gossip and careless words can cause great damage, the untold part of this narrative is that as much as we often want to control what people say and what people think, our actions speak louder than words. Luke 8:17 tells us this, pointing out that “there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought into the open.” At some point, our deeds will find us out.
This happened with the death of King Saul, too, despite King David’s best efforts.
Gath was the city in Philistia where David hid from King Saul for sixteen months (1 Samuel 27), situated in the north of Philistia. Ashkelon was a well-known seaport and one of five major cities of the Philistines. Egyptian texts mention it as far back as the nineteenth century BC. King David clearly did not want news of King Saul’s death spread among Israel’s enemies, for their humiliation would just be magnified in Philistia. But 1 Samuel 31:9 tells us that the Philistines knew of King Saul’s death, and spread it throughout their country.
The surest way to prevent the spread of bad news is not to create it in the first place. If we live lives of righteousness, justice, and truth, then we should not worry what people say about us or how gossip may spread. Matthew 12:33 tells us that a tree is known by its fruit. James 2:18 questions how one can have faith apart from actions, so we should show our faith by what we do.
Our actions matter, more than any story we may seek to tell. May the way we live and the things we do speak clearly to our faith in and fidelity to Christ.