Recently I received an issue of a Christian magazine that we subscribe to. As I began thumbing through it, a particular article caught my attention. It focused on a prominent Pastor who had been having a very difficult time in his personal life. The reason this article was of interest to me is because the “grapevine” had already alerted me to his troubles.

Once I began reading, I thought to myself, “Now, I can finally get the whole story.” For the next few minutes, I was engrossed with all the private, intimate, questionable, and ugly details of this Pastor’s personal life. I found out all the missing pieces that the “grapevine” excluded and also learned extra juicy tidbits that hadn’t yet hit the gossip highway.

By the time I finished the article, I felt pretty sure that I now knew the whole “truth.” And not only I, but also the rest of the Body of Christ knows what a phony this Pastor has been. Now, properly armed with the “facts”, his congregation can justifiably strip him of his pulpit, revoke his license, and bury him in the popular land-fill of Christian scandals. Once again, the pen was mightier than the sword in its triumph in silencing another man of God who was preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. Kudos to the victor? I DON’T THINK SO!.

Immediately, God began to speak to me about my desire to read an article such as this. God questioned my heart and asked, “Why are you so curious about the personal details of this Pastors life?” “How do you know that what you just read is the truth?” “How do you know if the writer even knows this Pastor?” And the questions continued. But the most sobering question the Lord asked me was, “How would you feel if this article was written about you?”

I pondered that question for quite a while, allowing myself to experience what it might feel like to read personal details about myself in a nationally circulated magazine. It’s difficult to imagine how I would react to false statements being printed about me, my husband, and my family. Would it be best to ignore it and hope it will quickly fade away? Either way, the problem lies in the fact that once information has reached the printed page, most readers consider it the gospel truth!

What kind of Christians have we become? What kind of vile appetites have we developed? The Word of God charges us to desire the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow.

1 Peter 2:2, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby.” But instead, we’re acting like cannibalistic creatures feeding on the leftovers of our brothers and sisters in the Lord whom the Devil has devoured.

1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:"

Have we forgotten what the Bible teaches, or just chose to ignore it? The Word of God is clear when it makes a distinction in the behavior of a Christian and non-Christian. We are called Light, not Dark.

Ephesians 5:8, “For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in Lord: walk as children of light:” We are to walk in the Spirit, not in the flesh.

Galatians 5:16, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” And we should exhibit the fruit of the Spirit, not the works of flesh.

Galatians 5:19, “Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,”

Galatians 5:20, “Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,”

Galatians 5:21, “Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

Galatians 5:22, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,”

Galatians 5:23, “ Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.”

Galatians 5:24, “And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.”

Galatians 5:25, “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:26, “Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.

Some Christian magazines have become a moderated rumor ridden version of the grocery store tabloid. Rather than report on the hottest Hollywood headliner, “our” Christian Tabloids focus on defaming our well-known Christian “celebrities”. They seem to be less about ministering to the Body of Christ and more about brining attention to almost any preacher that can be targeted with a scandalous headline.

Where does the blame lie? If there is anyone to blame, does it lie with the magazines or the readers? Certainly, us readers should not crave such garbage and Christian magazines should not supply it. The Word of God say to “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth”.

Ephesians 4:29, “ Let no corrupt communication proceed out of you mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

I believe our lives as Christians should be lived in a deliberate manner. We must be vigilant to guard our spirits against the snare of conforming to the habits of the world.

Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”

God calls us to higher living. We are suppose to esteem others better than ourselves. How can any of us dare to dissect the life of a fellow servant of God when we know the only reason we’re able to live in peace is because of the protection of God’s mercy.

What should our response be when hearing of situations such as this Pastor suffered? The Word of God gives a precise response in Galatians 6:1-10. Read the passage again, just as I did, and let us all respond with that Spirit of meekness that God requires of us in the future. In addition to this, let’s refocus from vain subject matters to pursuing our corporate and personal destinies. We have a mandate connected to our existence on this earth and that is to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We cannot allow ourselves to be ignorant of Satan’s devices that destroy the Kingdom of God. We must dwell together in unity, refuse to be gossipers, and boldly fulfill our God given destiny to reach this dying generation.