“Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people.” Eleanor Roosevelt

When I was teaching high school I always had a thought for the week on the board and this was one of my all time favorites, even though it was not always word-for-word as credited to Eleanor Roosevelt, the meaning was certainly clear! Unfortunately talking about people, and especially behind their backs (or now on social media) has always been small minded and still is. It is the essence of gossip which scripture warns us of the dangers of such talk in Proverbs 16:28 “A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.” When sharing this quote with young people a good way to do it is to give examples of ideas, events and people from scripture; idea, all have come short of the glory; events, the life, death and resurrection of Christ; people, those who were derided the woman caught in adultery and wanted to stone her to death!