Hearsay. Deuteronomy 13:12-14. “If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there saying, ‘Certain men, the children of Belial, are gone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known,”’ then shalt thou inquire, and make search, and ask diligently: and, behold, if it be the truth, and the thing certain, that such an abomination is among you:”
There are tests you can perform when you hear someone say, “Such a one has gone away from the Lord.” Ask if there are others who can support such a claim. You don’t want to act on just one person’s word. Investigate yourself to find out if others know whether the information you received is truly accurate. When such a thing has happened, and others have heard it too, much gossip must be verified by evidence. Take your time to search; too much is at stake. A word can ruin someone’s life. Check all sources; people can misinterpret motives behind what appears to be a misdeed. Do not treat lightly what may or may not be true. Inquire carefully before acting on a rumor. If another life is harmed, you will always regret the day you weren’t diligent and confirmed the truth much sooner.
How can you find out the truth of a matter? Is there a way to reach the right conclusion? Two or three witnesses can help determine whether a rumor is true or if someone else is spreading false information. If some gossip is uncertain, try to stop the rumor if you can. Talk to the person who first told you. You might not be able to stop the gossip, but you may be able to help the person who is unaware or innocent of the hurtful words.
“O God, who art the Listener to every conversation and the Judge of every matter: give me the sense to keep my mouth shut when I know uncertain rumors have the potential of breaking a person’s spirit. I know some things need never be spoken of, and others must be looked into. Please give me and all who are involved in such matters a spirit of Christ-likeness and carefulness, “lest thou be tempted also.” In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.”