Ezra 4:12
“Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations.”
A person can literally lose their reputation by how they deal with rumor. Rumor is around us everyday, and how we deal with it determines our credibility. Rumor can come in the form of a news report, friendly conversation or from a work partner. No matter how the rumor was delivered, you must be careful how you deal with it.
In the verse above, Artaxerxes the king heard a rumor that those who were rebuilding the temple had bad intentions. He was told they were rebuilding the temple so that they could rebel against his kingdom. Artaxerxes will forever have the mark against his reign for stopping the building of the temple. When rumor came his way he did some things right, but he also did some things wrong which resulted in a bad decision. Let me show his reactions and how they can apply to your dealing with rumors.
First, don’t make an immediate decision. In the verse above, you can see that the rumor was that they were going to rebel. When you hear a rumor, always remember that you are only hearing one side of the story. You cannot fall into the trap of believing people just because you know them. Most rumor always has an element of truth; therefore, you must not make an immediate decision off the rumor.
Second, don’t immediately react. Artaxerxes could have immediately sent his soldiers to stop the building, but he didn’t. It is always wise to hold back your reactions to give yourself time to research the rumor. These men wanted him to react immediately, but he wisely did not. Those who tell rumors will always want an immediate reaction from you, but don’t fall for the trap. You need to step back and wait before you make any move.
Third, research the rumor if it is in your area. Artaxerxes wisely took time to research the validity of this rumor. Just because you hear a rumor doesn’t mean you need to do anything with it. If it is not in your area, then leave it alone. If it is in your area, then take time to research the matter to find out the facts.
Fourth, let both sides tell their story. Artaxerxes was very unwise not to have Ezra come and tell his side of the story. Because Artaxerxes didn’t listen to both sides of the story, he made an unwise decision. When you hear rumor and have researched it, then take the facts you have and talk to the ones whom the rumor was about. You may find out that the facts you have may not be exactly what you thought them to be. It is unjust to only hear one side of the story. You must not act upon rumor until you have heard from both sides.
Once you have done these things, then act according to what is the right thing to do according to the Scriptures. Artaxerxes was unwise in that he acted because how it affected him and not by what the Scriptures taught. Our whims and desires are to never be a part of dealing with rumors, but God’s will which is found in the Scriptures is how we are to act.
Friend, you are going to have rumors come your way in life many times over. Let me encourage you to be wise in dealing with them. Your response to rumor will determine your credibility. Don’t react, but act when rumor comes your way. The four steps in this devotional will help you to act if you follow them, and they will keep you from embarrassing yourself and destroying your credibility.