Jeremiah 49:14
“I have heard a rumour from the LORD, and an ambassador is sent unto the heathen, saying, Gather ye together, and come against her, and rise up to the battle.”
It is amazing how interested a person will get when they hear a rumor. God understood the interest that rumors bring, so he sent a rumor to Jeremiah to spread to the people. Of course, this was more than a rumor, this was what God was going to do to the Ammonites. Yet, God wanted their attention so badly that He told Jeremiah to tell them he heard a rumor.
If a person really wanted to, they could wrap their life up in rumors, but their life would be filled with fiction. I have been around Christianity my whole life, and I’ve learned that rumors are plenteous. With the technological advances of the internet, you can learn all of the rumors by going to the forums and social networking sites. Let me give you some thoughts about what to do when you hear a rumor, and then what to do when someone spreads a rumor about you.
First, don’t go looking for rumors. Remember Philippians 4:8 when it says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Most rumors will not cause you to think this way. One of the biggest reasons we want to know rumors is so we can get some dirt on someone we don’t like. This is evil at its core. Don’t allow yourself to get involved in rumor mongering.
Second, don’t believe a rumor when you hear it. Remember, it’s a rumor, which means you don’t know if it is true or not. Just because someone you know tells you it is true doesn’t make it true. Whenever you hear a rumor, your first instinct should be to pass if off as untrue.
Third, don’t spread the rumor. If you’re not supposed to think about things that are not honest or of good report, then that would certainly mean you should not spread them. God calls that talebearing. When you spread a rumor, you are hurting someone’s name without any proof to back up what you’re saying.
Unfortunately, there are going to be times when you are going to have to deal with someone spreading a rumor about you. When you hear someone started a rumor about you, don’t worry. One of the intents of rumors is to get you to respond. You need to be careful that you don’t let it bother you. Always remember that most rumors are short-lived.
Second, go to the source of the rumor. When you hear someone has said something about you, then the best course of action is to go to them directly to discuss their action. Don’t go with a combative attitude. You will find that most of the time when you approach someone about a rumor, it will catch them off guard and will cause them to back off from saying something like that about you again.
Finally, ask God for help in dealing with the rumor. Of course, this should be your first course of action. God is the only One Who can deal with those who have the intent to hurt you. Don’t try to get revenge by lowering yourself to spread rumors about them; instead, pray for them and ask God to stop the rumors.
Whether you are the recipient of rumors or the subject of the rumor, you need to be careful how you deal with them. Most rumors at heart have a way of destroying someone’s name. If you spread a rumor that has no validity, then you will be the one who looks bad. If you’re the one who is the subject of the rumor, God and your character will defend you. Be careful that you handle rumors in the right way.