“Rumor has it…”
What is it about having the edge on juicy information? What drives people to be the first to have
and share some inside information? If
someone starts off a sentence with, “Guess what I heard?” you had better be
careful to check that information as truth before sharing it. Why is it we love rumors and gossip? What is even more ironic is that they are
both forms of lies. If Satan is the
father of all lies (John 8:44) then why do Christians especially run to them sometimes
like moths to a flame?
Proverbs 18:8 says this about rumors:
“What dainty morsels rumors are.
They sink deep into one’s heart.”
Rumors draw us in like a magnet.
Matching rumors against truth before believing or spreading them
sometimes evades Christians. Scripture
says we shall know the truth and the truth shall set us free (John 8:32). We should check everything against truth
before we accept it as truth. Ephesians
4:29 says, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a
word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it
may give grace to those who hear.”
Well-meaning people can sometimes unintentionally spread gossip and
rumor – lies. To stop spreading rumors
you must do a few necessary fact checking steps. First, consider the source. Is the person telling you this information
reliable and trustworthy? Is this the
person you get all your truth from?
Next, consider the person the information is about. Is this generally true about their character
and lifestyle? The best way to clear the
whole matter up is to go directly to the person the story is about. Call them, meet with them, speak directly to
them – do whatever it takes to get the truth from them before you believe and
spread the juicy information. Whatever
happened to believing the best about someone before we jump to
conclusions? Whatever happened to
believing God’s Word over the Devil’s lies?
Even if you do have true information you should seek to protect another
believer and not use it against them.
Proverbs 11:13 says a trustworthy person keeps information, not spreads
it like wildfire.
I’ve gone as far as to say, “That is out of their character and until I
can speak with them directly about it I must choose not to believe it.” I’ve also said, “Let’s get them on the phone
right now so we can ask them.” I also
attempt to trace a rumor back to its source.
I ask that person to call everyone back and clear up the matter. Too bold?
Confrontation with the truth is the only action that will stop a gossip
dead in their tracks. This kind of
action clears up the matter immediately.
“For
lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling
ceases” (Proverbs 26:20). Sometimes people spread information in the guise of prayer. “Pray for so-and-so because of what they
did.” Problem is most of the time no one
gets around to praying.
Lies, gossip, rumors, and deception are all tools of Satan to bring
disunity to the Church and damage to the Christian’s life. Believing these can cause division, offense,
bitterness, and the destruction of relationships. Believing lies about someone will affect how
you think about and treat people. You’ll brush them off and believe a lie over
going directly to them and getting the matter resolved. Satan is stealing your relationships because
you choose to believe rumors and lies.
If you haven’t gone directly to the person the rumor or gossip is about
to ask them you have no business believing or spreading it about them. They are infectious diseases in the Church
meant to kill it. Kill the rumor before it kills you.
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