“So the rumor spread in the community that this disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but, ‘If it is my will that he remain until I come, what is that to you?’” (John 21:23)
Rumors had to be addressed in Jesus’ community of disciples as they do in ours today.
I will be the first to say that the community of God’s followers can be a very healing place to be. But it is also impossible for me to ignore that I also have experienced suffering at the hands of those who ascribe to the same faith as me.
A plaque in my mother’s kitchen reads, “Jesus Christ is the head of this house, the silent listener of every conversation, the unseen host of every meal.” Creating or sustaining a culture of rumors and judgment has nothing to do with God’s grace. And it puts us counter to Jesus’ desires.
How do we promote healing and wholeness in the church, the society, and the world? We can start by being kind to one another and by addressing rumors before they grow.
This message is excerpted from “The harmfulness of rumors” by Inez Torres Davis from the February 21, 2019, blog of the Women of the ELCA.
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