During the notorious riots in Hong Kong from June of 2019 to June of 2020, there were rumors about the Pro-democratic Party spreading the news of the Police abusing the power to suppress the protesters (rioters) and killing many innocent citizens. YouTube videos were manipulated and posted in the YouTube channels. The general public were furious and deceived by them. The government verified what was the true story behind the scene but to no avail. Huge conflicts and crashing between the government and the Pro-democratic Party. Big damages were done by the protesters. Finally after the promulgation of National Security
Laws, facts were unfolded. Rumors can never cover the truth. The malicious leaders were
charged and locked up.
In this practice, similar situations happened in some churches that did not follow God’s
instructions to His people to cease the gossip and malicious talk and this would erode their love for each other. One of God’s Ten Commandments reflects His desire for them to live truthfully: (Exodus 20:16) “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.” Another instruction in Exodus reinforces this commandment: (Exodus 23:1) “Do not spread false reports. Do not help a guilty person by being a malicious witness.”
Think of how different the world would be if each of us never spread rumors and false reports and if we stopped them the moment we heard them. May we rely on the Holy Spirit to help us speak the truth in love as we use our words to bring glory to God.