I Don't Believe You

   It happened again.  Some news story came out about a (Pick One, Celebrity Death, New Law, Hollywood Scandal, Wonder Drug, New Research, Shocking Story) that spreads like wild fire until someone bothers to check the facts and see that it wasn't true.  It is now getting to the point that any story I see on Facebook, Twitter, news sites, or the like, I instantly think the opposite is true.  It seems the media is so eager to be first with a story they never bother to check if the story is true.  If it is sensational enough or shocking enough why bother if it is true enough?  Now before we get to quick to blame them let’s remember who is forwarding and reposting all those stories!  I admit I am little  upset and worried at how quickly so many people are to buying into the half-truths and gossip in our world today. Without batting an eye, we will give our acceptance to things that are not so.  

   Now we all will get duped occasionally, but it seems to me we all need to be a little more careful in what we believe and tell others is true.   A lie doesn’t become truth because we someone else told us it was true.  Being deceived into a lie doesn’t grant us immunity for believing the lie. James warn us “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren”(James 1:16).  A great majority of the people lost today don’t think they are. They have believed oft repeated lies that make them think they are right with God. That deception will lead them to destruction!

   So how can we be more careful when we are presented with anything that claims to be true? Well Proverbs 14:15 tells us, “The naive believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps.” Don’t be naïve! Before we jump on any claim we need to consider it first.  It's better to check, wait, and see than to get caught proclaiming something that is not true.  Words have power and we need to carefully consider anything we say (James 3:1-8).  Lies are especially destructive since they can besmirch our character.  If people can’t expect to hear truth from us in everyday unimportant things, why would they expect to hear the truth about the gospel from us!

  The Bereans were considered more noble than those in Thessalonica. Why? They “examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so” (Acts 17:11).  In all things but especially in matter of religion we need to be consummate “fact checkers”. We need to be people known for telling the truth but knowing what we say is truth!