She Lived By Her No-Gossip Pledge

Ruth Zetty Lough 4/26/23--4/23/13

Not long ago we attended the memorial service of Ruth Zetty Lough, an unusually alert nearly-ninety-year-old who often greeted you somewhere on the first floor hallway when you came to the Oak Lea nursing facility at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community. Everyone knew her as the friendly lady in a wheel chair who wore one of her many different caps every day.

I first met Ruth at the wedding of her daughter Lynn to one of our nephews years ago, then connected with her again at VMRC when Alma Jean spent three weeks in rehab there after her knee surgery.

At the service in her memory, Crystal Cupp, one of the women who met with Ruth for Bible study on a regular basis told us about the pact they had made years ago to never speak ill of others in their times together. They decided that everything they said must pass the Philippians 4:8 test, as follows:

"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—dwell on these things."

Such a simple concept, but what a rare thing to take one's words that seriously. In other words, to determine not to speak of others in ways you wouldn't want them talking about you. Just don't gossip, period.

At the end of the memorial service, the family gave one of Ruth's many caps to anyone who wanted one to remember her by.

Perhaps wearing one of these could serve as a reminder to follow the Philippians 4:8 rule, a truly excellent and praiseworthy way to live your life.