Recipe

By Mike Benson (April 15, 2004)

. Take one harmless event.

. Add one ugly motive.

. Stir in your own opinion.

. Add one suspicious tone.

. Put in a measure of "they say".

. Add imaginary details to increase the taste.

. Sprinkle well with the spice of rumor.

Heat slowly over the flame of envy. Serve secretly as often as possible to anyone who will give attention.

Boy, if ever there was a recipe for gossip, this would have to be it. Little wonder that the Bible reminds us, "The words of a talebearer are like tasty trifles ["dainty morsels" - RSV] and they go down into the inmost body" ( Proverbs 18:8 NKJV).

Kind reader, let's be extra careful that we don't share this recipe.