Years ago, a national news story broke — dramatic, emotional, and presented as a racial incident in a small town. It was everywhere. Every major outlet was covering it. And like most people, I believed what I heard. I had no reason not to.
About a week later, I had to travel for work.
And by pure coincidence, the town I needed to visit was the exact town in the headlines.
It wasn’t a big place. At the time, there was only one hotel, maybe two. I checked in, went about my work, and throughout the day I ended up talking with people — store owners, pharmacy staff, a clerk, someone at the gas station. Just ordinary conversations with people who lived there and had seen or heard what actually happened.
And every person told the same story.
It wasn’t racial.
It wasn’t what the national news was saying.
It was a drug deal gone wrong.
No one minimized the seriousness of it.
No one excused it.
But the people who lived there — the ones closest to the situation — described something completely different from what the country was being told.
I remember sitting on the edge of that hotel bed thinking,
If I hadn’t come here, I would have believed the headline forever. I would have repeated it. I would have thought I knew the truth.
That moment stayed with me.
Why This Matters Spiritually
That experience didn’t make me cynical.
It made me careful.
Because I realized how easily we can repeat something that isn’t accurate — not out of malice, but out of assumption. And suddenly the commandment about bearing false witness felt painfully relevant.
We tend to think of “bearing false witness” as lying in a courtroom.
But in Scripture, it’s much broader than that.
We bear false witness when we:
- repeat a story we don’t actually know
- assume motives we can’t see
- pass along a headline without context
- judge a situation from a distance
- speak confidently about something we only heard secondhand
In our world, false witness rarely looks like a dramatic accusation.
It looks like:
- a quick share
- a fast judgment
- a rumor that “sounds right”
- a story repeated without understanding
- a narrative we accept because it fits our expectations
And the danger is not just that we might be wrong —
but that we might harm someone’s reputation, community, or story without meaning to.
A Call to Humility and Compassion
My hope is not that we question everything.
My hope is that we approach stories — especially painful ones — with humility.
That we remember there is always more beneath the surface.
That we resist the urge to repeat things we don’t truly know.
That we hold our opinions with gentleness.
That we listen before we judge.
That we love before we conclude.
Because God sees every heart and every hidden thread.
We don’t.
And in a world full of quick reactions and strong opinions, choosing not to repeat something can be an act of love.
A Question for You
Have you ever discovered that a story you heard wasn’t the whole truth once you learned more?
I’d love to hear your thoughts — always in the spirit of building one another up.
With gratitude and hope,
N
FAQ
Q: What does Scripture mean by “bearing false witness”?
Bearing false witness includes more than lying. It also involves repeating stories we don’t fully know, assuming motives we cannot see, or passing along information that may not be accurate.
Q: How does modern media relate to bearing false witness?
In today’s world, headlines, posts, and reports often present only part of a story. When we repeat these without understanding the full context, we can unintentionally participate in spreading false information.
Q: Why is it important for Christians to be careful with the stories we share?
Because our words carry weight. When we repeat something untrue, we can harm someone’s reputation or community. Scripture calls us to humility, compassion, and truthfulness.
Q: What can we do to avoid bearing false witness online?
Pause before sharing. Listen before judging. Seek understanding. And remember that God sees the whole story, even when we don’t.
Q: How can personal experiences help us discern truth?
Hearing directly from people involved — rather than relying solely on headlines — can reveal how complex situations really are. Personal encounters often show us what we might have missed.
#ChristianLiving #TruthMatters #Proverbs1817
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