Have you ever played the game Telephone? The game begins with a line of people. The first person whispers a phrase to the next, who whispers to the next, and so on. The last person says what he or she thinks the phrase it out loud to the group. If you have played before, you know that the end result is rarely even close to the original phrase. The further from the source the whispered phrase gets, the more inaccurate it becomes. This is what had happened with Paul’s reputation. Word had spread about his ministry, and the rumor was that Paul was turning people away from God’s law.

Sometimes our own reputations can be smeared and slandered with others’ lies. Rumors can wreck friendships and relationships. When we are the victim of rumors, what do we do? Paul listened to the wisdom of others around him and conducted himself in a way that demonstrated his sincerity and integrity. When we are mistreated is not the time to sling more mud or to retaliate. Instead, we should show with our actions that the rumors are not true. Respond with integrity and trust God with the results.

• Why is it important to respond with our actions instead of retaliating with our words?