What are you publishing?

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About! The moment we wake up, we’re bombarded with news. Whether through social media, local TV news, text messaging, or email, the news will be presented to you whether you were looking for it or not. It seems like news circulates faster than the speed of light.

When filtered to categories or subscribed to certain news channels, your inbox, phone, and newsfeed will fill up with a mixture of good news, bad news, and promotions. If you’ve signed up for newsletters, you’ll find it’s hard to skim through emails especially if you have a busy schedule.

The ability for news to circulate at a high speed reduces the need for news outlets to wait until newspapers are circulated through neighborhoods the traditional way. This convenience has been beneficial in terms of increasing awareness about elections, crimes, technological innovations, entertainment, healthcare, sports, and the retail industry. However, amid this circulation, gossip will infiltrate news and social media streams.

Gossip spreads fast and can cause harm when done in a malicious way. When information is told confidentially, one person or individuals are expecting the other party to conceal the information especially if the person whom the information is disclosed to pretends like they care or are concerned.

Proverbs 11:13 says ..."A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth a matter."

When gossip is spread, it is usually done with the intention of tarnishing reputations whether the information about the person is true or not. Typically those who spread negative news about others conceal their own failures, insecurities, and challenges to make themselves appear to be without flaws.

While we've all been guilty of telling information without valid proof, the ability to recognize this sin that possesses us is a positive start to overcome it.

There are several ways to identify if you have challenges with publishing negative news about others which include:

• As soon as you hear something about someone you don't like, you start calling, texting, or posting on social media what you've heard in a judgmental way.

  
  

• You share information that was told to you confidentially by someone who trusts you.

  
  

• You add lies to information that was told to you for the purpose of separating friends and relationships.

  
  

• You listen to gossip told to you about someone you know who thinks you're their friend, and you don't defend the person, and you join in the malicious conversation. You also don't inform the friend about what was said about them.

Proverbs 16:28 says ..."A froward man soweth strife: and a whisperer separateth chief friends.

This temptation can be hard to overcome particularly with the way news about others is presented. It's easy to feed into information about others we don't like especially if you've been waiting to hear that something's gone wrong in their life.

James 3:3-8 says:

3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

When you're tempted to spread news about others, try to practice these behaviors:

Galatians 6:1 says..." Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

This means remember how you felt when you were talked about, and think about how you will feel in the future when something goes wrong in your life. Do you like when people whom you have not shared your personal business to look at you disdainfully because they've heard truth or lies about you?

Would you want someone to talk with you confidently, pray for you sincerely, or talk about you maliciously?

Start working on yourself personally to ask God to deliver you from the spirit of gossip, be sincere when someone wants to talk to you about their life challenges and do not disclose their personal business without their permission.

Isaiah 58 talks about a fast that the Lord chooses for us to practice. It's not one of competition as described in verse 4 ..."Behold, ye fast for strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness: ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your voice to be heard on high."

However, the fast the Lord wants us to practice is not solely based on not eating food, but giving up the comforts of our lives to help someone else. He desires for us to do what is described in verse 6:

• Loose the bands of wickedness

• Undo the heavy burdens

• Let the oppressed go free

• Break every yoke

• Deal thy bread to the hungry

• Bring the poor that are cast out to thy house

• When thou seest the naked, that thou cover him; and that thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh?

The last directive is of particular importance because this instruction does not only mean covering someone's physical nakedness but to cover them when they're experiencing situations that they are not proud of. This means not running to tell what you know about someone like it's the latest news that's hot off the press.

In the New Testament, there are numerous accounts of how Jesus helped people with situations that society viewed as disgusting or intolerable. However, Jesus saw those who could not help themselves as humble children who were open to receive healing from a Savior who would ultimately be rejected by those who thought they were better than him.

In some of these accounts, when Jesus helped or healed someone, he told them not to tell anyone or to go and tell what happened to their friends and family. Jesus did not tell their business. Whatever point he met them in their lives, he focused on the deliverance the person needed and told them to go and publish the news.

If he brought up something about their past or living status such as that described in John 4:17 regarding the woman who lived in Samaria who had five husbands, the conversation was between him and the other person, not the whole village. Jesus wanted her to tell others about her deliverance.

Another account described how Jesus delivered a man who was possessed by approximately two thousand demons. The man lived among the tombs, but when he saw Jesus ..."he ran and worshipped him (Mark 5:6).

This man battled mental and spiritual illness that he could not get rid of on his own. The people who lived in the country saw how Jesus delivered the demon-possessed man, and they went and told it in the city and the country. The people then went to Jesus to get a close view of the man they had been watching from a distance for a long time.

He was normal, clothed, and in his right mind. This man's delivered status scared the people because they were used to seeing a lunatic. Someone they could talk about in a negative way. They more than likely did not offer to pray for the man's deliverance or perhaps they thought he was a lost cause. Nevertheless, they were stunned and didn't know what to say or do.

This normalcy scared the people to the point, they wanted Jesus to leave the region. When Jesus began to depart, the delivered man wanted to join Jesus on his journey, but Jesus told him to go and tell how the Lord delivered him.

Mark 5:18-20 says ..."

18 And when he was come into the ship, he that had been possessed with the devil prayed him that he might be with him.

19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

20 And he departed, and began to publish in Decapolis how great things Jesus had done for him: and all men did marvel.

Verse 19 illustrates how Jesus had compassion on the bewildered man. Again, Jesus focused on the man's need for deliverance and not his past. He already knew his past, but he did not tell it.

Jesus exemplified what it means to be a true friend, one who has compassion, and will cover a friend during difficult times as if it were himself experiencing challenges.

• Will you follow this example the next time you hear negative news about someone, will you pray for them, or will you race to whisper in the next itching ear?

  
  

• Will you spread information about the good things happening in your life and someone else's life, or will you help exacerbate a person's affliction without researching or validating what you heard is true?

  
  

• Will you jump on the next bandwagon to cast judgment on someone because it's not you who's going through what the person whose being talked about is experiencing?

  
  

• Will you assume the people who is telling you negative things about someone couldn't possibly lie to you because you want what you hear to be true?

  
  

• Will you hide or ensure you implement damage control to make sure others don't know the whole truth about your situation?

Publishing news is a good way to keep readers and viewers engaged with content. However, publishing with revengeful intent can cause harm. This is not to negate the importance of informing others about dangerous persons and situations we should be cautious of in order to live safely.

Consider healthcare professionals. When these individuals start working in the healthcare industry, they must take HIPPA training and sign a document that essentially binds them to a covenant that they will not disclose a patient's information. Otherwise, harm can be done.

However, those who are not medical professionals oftentimes those who profess to be born again feel it's okay to spread personal news without someone's consent.

Sharing positive news can uplift, encourage, and boost self-esteem when done sincerely. If we all focus on working on our failures and shortcomings, we would consider ourselves a work in progress.

It's easy to cast judgement on someone who is in the process of being delivered. The view is not a beautiful one. All of us want to be seen as having everything in our lives intact. However, there are times, when the cares of life may have a profound effect on our mental status, physical appearance, and emotional well-being.

When you need deliverance, you need someone to meet you where you are, not where you were, or where you will be in the future. It's ideal to be associated with someone who has it all together, someone who appears to be successful in every area of their life. However, it takes a strong, faithful friend, one who won't forsake you during challenges, and be a fair-weather friend but will exhibit compassion and understanding like Jesus.

Again, as admonished in Galatians 6:1 ..." Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted."

Let us exhibit patience, kindness, understanding, and compassion, and remember these verses:

Philippians 1:6

Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

1 John 3:2

Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

If you've been publishing news for the wrong reasons, or listening to news because of an underlying desire for negative situations to happen in someone's life, work on making a change to spread news that will increase interest in someone's spiritual growth and other types of success.

Stay positive and be blessed!