Remember back before the internet? People could dislike someone they’d never even met—based on nothing more than a rumor. Somebody would whisper, “I heard he said this…” or “She did that…” and suddenly a whole group of people were ready to grab their torches and pitchforks. No evidence, no firsthand knowledge—just hearsay passed around like a potluck casserole.
I know this firsthand. People have talked negatively about me—not because they knew me, but because someone else didn’t like me and spread their version of “truth.” Next thing I know, their friends—who didn’t even know me—are talking behind my back as if they’ve got me figured out. Here’s the irony: some of those same people are now customers. Some I’ve helped out of issues in their lives. And a couple—by God’s grace—I am humbled to be their pastor. Why? Because eventually they got to know me for themselves instead of living off somebody else’s rumor buffet. Amazing how actually knowing someone changes things.
Fast forward to today. We’re so much more advanced, right? Wrong. Instead of whispers, we’ve got short videos—20, maybe 30 seconds long—flying across the internet faster than gossip ever could. And let’s be honest: they’re almost always cut out of context. But do people care? Nope. Because it’s easier to watch a clip and form an opinion than it is to stop, think, and actually find the truth.
It’s pathetically sad. It’s dangerously sad. And it’s exactly what happens when we’d rather feed our outrage than our brains.
See, people have always loved quick judgments. Proverbs 18:8 says, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.” Translation? Lies taste good. Half-truths go down easy. But once they’re in there, they stick, and it’s almost impossible to spit them back out. That was true when rumors spread by word of mouth, and it’s true now that rumors spread by Wi-Fi.
And don’t think this is new to our age. Jesus Himself was the victim of the world’s first viral smear campaign. They twisted His words, accused Him of being hateful, divisive, even dangerous. Sound familiar? The Son of God gets crucified because people edited His message to fit their agenda. That’s what happens when we trade truth for sound bites.
The Bible gives us a better way. James 1:19 says, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” But what do we do instead? We’re quick to scroll, quick to judge, and quick to hit “share.” We don’t want the full sermon, the full speech, or the full story—we want a highlight reel that agrees with our feelings.
That’s not discernment. That’s laziness dressed up as wisdom. And it’s killing our ability to tell the difference between truth and manipulation.
As Christians, we’re called to rise above the rumor mill—whether it’s passed around at the office or blasted across TikTok. Don’t just ask, “What did they say?” Ask, “What did they actually mean? What’s the context? Does this line up with truth?” Because once we stop caring about truth, we stop reflecting the One who is the Truth.
Technology may have changed the method, but the problem is still the same: rumors ruin, distortion destroys, and lies linger. The only cure is to slow down, use discernment, and refuse to be spoon-fed other people’s narratives.
And here’s the kicker: just like some of those people who once believed the worst about me eventually discovered the truth when they got to know me, the same is true with Jesus. People form opinions about Him based on rumors, half-truths, or out-of-context sound bites. But when they actually encounter Him—when they really get to know Him—their lives change. Rumors may shape opinions, but only the truth sets people free.
And let me just say this—it’s dangerous enough getting your “news” from the media, but for real, stop getting your so-called “facts” from video shorts!