A rumor is a story or statement in general circulation without confirmation or certainty as to fact.
There are many people who take decisions based on a rumor. You can marry, vote or invest based on hearsay propaganda adverts or what people are saying. You may not like someone based on a rumor. You can even conclude a bad business is good based on it. You may assume someone is good when the person is bad.
Decisions based on rumors are flawed. What is the biblical response to a rumor?
Deuteronomy 17:4,6.
“And it be told thee, and thou hast heard of it, and enquired diligently, and, behold, it be true, and the thing certain, that such abomination is wrought in Israel: …At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.”
Moses gave clear instructions on how to handle a rumor of idolatry against a person. Let’s examine it and glean some principles.
- Don’t draw hasty conclusions, “enquire” or investigate the rumor.
- Ask for the hardcore facts, not hearsay “the thing is certain”. Statistics data and figures come in here.
- Crosscheck your information from appropriate sources “witnesses”
- Now you are ready to make a good decision.
Kakra Baiden
