The Leopard And The Grapevine
“These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov 6:16-19, NKJV).
Watch those little whisperers you find in congregations,
Quick to whisper in your ear their spicy revelations.
Sadly -- much they have to say -- damages reputations,
For they’ve become adept at character assassinations.
If you’ve been unfortunate and clashed with certain members,
A fire’s soon ignited via the whisperer’s embers.
Anything you’ve said or done is periodically repeated
By these little whisperers who some facts have deleted.
“Leopards cannot change their spots,” these little whisperers say,
Which means someone’s turnaround they effectively delay.
It seems the church’s grapevine is seldom ever pruned,
Which gives their little whispers more time to grow and wound.
Could it be a whisperer is whispering in your ear,
Could it be you’re sharing any whispers that you hear?
Could it be your pruning shears just lie rusting or unused,
Or are they brightly sharpened -- at the ready to be used?
It’s sad that there are grapevines just continuing to grow,
Or new ones being nourished by the whispers some folk sow.
I’m sure these wild grapevines wouldn’t flourish as they do,
If they were always pruned or uprooted as they grew.
Could there be many leopards not allowed to change their spots,
Because little whisperers keep on firing off more shots?
And could there be a leopard badly limping in your church,
Due to a nourished grapevine, whereby, whisperers besmirch?
Will leopards remain leopards, will grapevines keep on growing,
Will the little whisperers their whispers keep on sowing?
Or will each congregation refuse entry to their ears
The whispers, the little whisperer, via the grapevine shares?
By Lance Landall
“ ‘In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets’ ” (Matt 7:12, NASB).