Hearing things through the gapevine

Word spreads fast in a close knit church. Long before I could tell most people about the appointment change the grapevine news had done its work.

For some people this can feel like a negative gossiping sort of thing but I prefer to see it as a sign that we are truly connected with each other. Caring spreads as easily as gossip. The trick is to refuse to participate in harmful talk and challenge it when we see it without doing away with loving connections between people.

As long as we stay connected to the True Vine and share only in the things that bear good fruit then God's blessing is upon us.