This roused the people, the elders, and the teachers of religious law. So they arrested Stephen and brought him before the high council. The lying witnesses said, “This man is always speaking against the holy Temple and against the law of Moses.
Acts 6:12-13 (NLT)

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God.
James 3:7-9 (NLT)

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
Ephesians 4:25 (NIV)

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I have, arguably, an unhealthy fascination with crime documentaries. The draw for me is the winding, sometimes long-term, often surprising process in which experts find and analyze evidence and recollections, and hopefully achieve justice for victims and their families. I recently watched a documentary called “American Nightmare” in which a victim is kidnapped, then released. And no one believes her. What followed was a campaign by local authorities to discredit the kidnapping claims by to save precious resources for what they believed were real cases.  There was no true effort to find the truth, and sometimes details were bended to suit what they wanted to believe. The victim endured years of public scrutiny, skepticism, and accusations, all while bearing the trauma of the original ordeal. She was eventually exonerated when a neighboring law enforcement agency discovered evidence proving her claims.

This is an extreme example of how twisted a situation can become and how people can be hurt, devastated even, when false information is presented as the truth. Our everyday examples are more like exaggerating the truth, leaving out details, and bending reality, just a little, if it’s to our advantage.

As I read the verses from Acts, James, and Ephesians, my inclination is to lean into the lesson of being disciplined with what we say—and we should. We can’t take back words, and just one untruth can undo years of trust. As sharers of the Gospel, our credibility is critical. But I’m also struck that the false witness had power because of not only who was bearing it, but in the belief of those who were hearing it. 

My encouragement for you and me is that even more than being guards of our words, let’s also be sifters. Sift through all the information we receive with care and grace so that whether we respond with words or not, we can better understand the truth. Of the bridges between those who follow Jesus and those who don’t, I believe the truth is a big one—fundamental in the world, and for those who serve Jesus, it’s a powerful way to reflect His love. Let’s be sifters so that we can then be bearers of the truth.

Next Steps
It’s not always easy, but when we receive information we can work so that our reflex becomes to sift before we speak. 

Share Scripture: When we don’t know what’s true in the world or what to say, we can always speak Scripture—the truth of Jesus’ love. That’s one of the reasons I love the song “I Speak Jesus.” I believe every worship song is written to share pieces of the truth of the Gospel!

Pray for wisdom: Consider the impact the information will have on the Kingdom, on others, and on yourself as a person who may share the truth of the Gospel with the same people you share other information with.