You Have The Right To Remain Silent
Preaching
Shaking Wolves Out Of Cherry Trees
And 149 Other Sermon Ideas
Purpose Statement: What we should do about gossip, media misinformation, or innuendos.
Jesus had strong words about our careless words. What we say is held against us (Matthew 12:36-37). I think the parable of the enemy sowing weeds among wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) has to do with gossip and harmful words. The book of James (3:1-12) also has harsh things to say concerning our conversations. The tongue can start a fire and is hard to control.
a. Don't spread gossip. You have the right (better, obligation) to remain silent. We must bite our tongue for it is difficult to refrain from sharing something we heard that we shouldn't hear or share. We like to have interesting things to tell others. We like to show others we are "in the know." We feel at times someone deserves to be embarrassed. We feel good in contrast by making others look bad.
b. Don't believe everything you hear or see. Some information is false. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Facts get misconstrued and twisted by the repeated telling of a story. Parlor games have illustrated this. While driving down the street I once thought I saw a minister I knew going into an x-rated theatre. It only looked like him and I had to tell myself I was probably wrong. Remember the story of the woman who accused one of the church members of being in a local tavern because she saw his wheelbarrow parked outside? The next night he intentionally left his wheelbarrow in front of her house all night.
c. Don't let hearsay (or truth) affect relationships. If we truly love and care, we will never let something we have heard or thought we saw affect how we think or feel about, or how we act towards, another person. That is also the proper response even when the facts are true.
d. Don't let the media get away with hurting persons. Censorship be darned (see H-3), the media has responsibilities, not only for free speech, but also for not hurting persons. Write, phone, or visit your local paper concerning stories that embarrass or hurt the reputations of others. Even when the person is finally exonerated, the innuendo or accusation, unfortunately, has tarnished the reputation and remains. How often we have heard a news story give a detailed account of an accident (a yellow plane leaving Little Rock at 12:08 this afternoon bound for Nashville carrying a couple and their son and daughter crashed and everyone was killed) and then say, "We are withholding the names until loved ones have been notified to protect them from anguish." I hear these stories and think hardly anyone wouldn't know from the description it was their family. We ask the question, "Is the press being sensitive at this point?"
Jesus had strong words about our careless words. What we say is held against us (Matthew 12:36-37). I think the parable of the enemy sowing weeds among wheat (Matthew 13:24-30) has to do with gossip and harmful words. The book of James (3:1-12) also has harsh things to say concerning our conversations. The tongue can start a fire and is hard to control.
a. Don't spread gossip. You have the right (better, obligation) to remain silent. We must bite our tongue for it is difficult to refrain from sharing something we heard that we shouldn't hear or share. We like to have interesting things to tell others. We like to show others we are "in the know." We feel at times someone deserves to be embarrassed. We feel good in contrast by making others look bad.
b. Don't believe everything you hear or see. Some information is false. Everyone is innocent until proven guilty. Facts get misconstrued and twisted by the repeated telling of a story. Parlor games have illustrated this. While driving down the street I once thought I saw a minister I knew going into an x-rated theatre. It only looked like him and I had to tell myself I was probably wrong. Remember the story of the woman who accused one of the church members of being in a local tavern because she saw his wheelbarrow parked outside? The next night he intentionally left his wheelbarrow in front of her house all night.
c. Don't let hearsay (or truth) affect relationships. If we truly love and care, we will never let something we have heard or thought we saw affect how we think or feel about, or how we act towards, another person. That is also the proper response even when the facts are true.
d. Don't let the media get away with hurting persons. Censorship be darned (see H-3), the media has responsibilities, not only for free speech, but also for not hurting persons. Write, phone, or visit your local paper concerning stories that embarrass or hurt the reputations of others. Even when the person is finally exonerated, the innuendo or accusation, unfortunately, has tarnished the reputation and remains. How often we have heard a news story give a detailed account of an accident (a yellow plane leaving Little Rock at 12:08 this afternoon bound for Nashville carrying a couple and their son and daughter crashed and everyone was killed) and then say, "We are withholding the names until loved ones have been notified to protect them from anguish." I hear these stories and think hardly anyone wouldn't know from the description it was their family. We ask the question, "Is the press being sensitive at this point?"
