Cannibalism in the Andes Mountains
On October 13, 1972, a flight carrying 45 passengers and crew, including 19 members of the Old Christians Club rugby team and their families, supporters, and friends, departed from Uruguay en route to Chile. As the plane crossed the Andes Mountains, the pilots, flying through thick fog and clouds, relied on their instruments to request permission to land. Tragically, they miscalculated their location.
Breaking through the clouds, they saw a mountain directly ahead. The pilots pulled up in an attempt to clear it, but the tail of the plane clipped the peak, causing a catastrophic crash into the snow-covered Andes in Argentina. Several passengers were ejected mid-air and killed instantly. Of the 45 onboard, 28 survived the first night.
Stranded in a barren, frozen wilderness, the survivors faced unimaginable challenges during their 72-day ordeal. With no other source of food, they resorted to consuming the bodies of their deceased friends and family. To make the human flesh easier to eat, they dried it in the sun. Ultimately, only 16 people emerged alive.
Don’t Bite and Devour One Another
The Apostle Paul warns us in Galatians 5:13–15:
“For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters; only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another. For the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ If, however, you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.”
Essentially, Paul says: “Don’t eat your family!” When we gossip, backbite, or slander, we consume one another in ways just as damaging—though perhaps less visible—than the ordeal in the Andes.
What Is Gossip and Backbiting?
• Gossip is the act of sharing rumors, assumptions, or suspicions about someone without their knowledge or consent.
• Backbiting involves making derogatory or spiteful remarks about someone behind their back.
Both behaviors lead to strife, division, and destruction within relationships and communities. When we participate in gossip or backbiting, we are effectively acting as spiritual cannibals.
Instead of approaching others with questions or concerns, gossip spreads misinformation and causes unnecessary pain. This is not how God calls us to live.
What Does God Say About Gossip?
• “You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:16)
• “Where there is no wood, the fire goes out; and where there is no talebearer, strife ceases.” (Proverbs 26:20)
• “A gossip reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a babbler.” (Proverbs 20:19)
Gossip and backbiting create division and strife within the church, much like a fire fueled by wood. These sins are not to be tolerated within the body of Christ.
The Power of Our Tongue
The tongue is a powerful tool for either life or destruction:
• “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21)
• “With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God… My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so.” (James 3:8–10)
Our words can create worlds of encouragement—or wounds. As imitators of God, we are called to use our words for blessing and life, not curses and destruction.
A Different Meal
Jesus modeled a different way:
• “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work.” (John 4:34)
• “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4)
Jesus lived with focus and purpose, feasting on the Word of God. He refused to engage in gossip or backbiting, even when reviled or misunderstood. His sustenance came from doing the will of the Father.
When we are spiritually starved, we may resort to “eating” others through gossip and division. But Jesus offers us true satisfaction:
• “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
Jesus’ Conflict Policy
Jesus provides a clear protocol for resolving grievances in Matthew 18:15–17:
1. Go directly to the person: If someone sins against you, approach them privately to seek understanding and reconciliation.
2. Bring one or two witnesses: If they refuse to listen, involve one or two trusted individuals to establish the matter.
3. Involve church leadership: If reconciliation still cannot be achieved, bring the issue before the church for mediation.
This process prevents gossip and backbiting, fostering peace and unity within the body of Christ.
What Are You Feasting On?
Are you consuming the flesh of your spiritual family through gossip and slander, or are you feasting on the Bread of Life?
C.S. Lewis reminds us:
“God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on.”
Let us labor for food that truly satisfies—His Word and His will.
• “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)
• “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, so that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” (Psalm 90:14)
Final Encouragement
Let us choose Christ as our source of nourishment and satisfaction. Say no to the temptation of gossip and backbiting. Feast on Him, and you will never hunger for the destructive “meal” of devouring your brothers and sisters in Christ.
“Don’t eat your family!” Instead, live in love, unity, and the fullness of His life.
Don’t Eat Your Family By Micah Level