Fake News

(Proverbs 25:8 KJV)  Go not forth hastily to strive, lest thou know not what to do in the end thereof, when thy neighbour hath put thee to shame.

This is good advice for citizens in a republic.  It is double important in an age of electronic media and irresponsible leaks of confidential material.  On the first point, we are expected to participate in our political process.  The First Amendment gives us not only the freedom to speak but the right to petition the government when they get too big for their britches.  In order to make an intelligent presentation of our case we need to be thoughtful and listening instead of just throwing out our emotional appeals.

On the second, we are all familiar with newspapers publishing all kinds of scandal based on anonymous sources.  We have long been familiar with the scandal sheets at the checkout line.  We understand that they often are pure fantasy designed for entertainment.  Unfortunately it seems like what used to be respected news sources have drunk the same kool aid. 

So?  If we are believers in truth, and if we are believers we know there is truth, we need to be very slow to believe the headlines we read.  We have a responsibility to delve a bit deeper than the first paragraph.  We need to understand that this warning goes both ways.  God expects us to use our minds.