by Julie Zine Coleman @JulieZColeman

A while back, I was writing a devotional on angels, beginning with the well-known story about a jungle missionary who offended a tribal chief. That night, the chief sent his soldiers to the missionary’s home, intent on killing him. However, when they arrived, they were stopped in their tracks with what they saw. And quickly abandoned the mission.

Later, after the chief had given his life to the Lord, he told his now-mentor how close he had come to destroying the man who brought the gospel to his tribe. “What stopped them?” the missionary asked.

“When the soldiers arrived, they saw you had an army standing guard with flaming torches, far outnumbering us. They left in fear for their lives,” the chief explained. As no such human guard existed there in the compound, the missionary knew God had sent a band of angels to protect those in the camp.

My husband and I had heard many different versions of that event, some taking place in the Mexican jungle, an African country, or even in the south Pacific. He suggested I check for a reliable source. After an hour-long online search, I was amazed to find accounts that widely varied in detail, some even disputing each other. Some writers claimed a personal acquaintance with those missionaries, or that they’d heard second-hand from those that did. The story was also used by many pastors in their sermons, presented as undisputed fact.

The earliest source I could find was in Billy Graham’s book, Angels. But even he did not footnote the source of origin. There was enough in doubt that I finally decided to cut the story from my article.

[tweet_box design=”default” float=”none” inject=”#Writing #Writinglife #BRMCWC”]Writer, Check Your Sources by @JulieZColeman on @BRMCWC[/tweet_box]

Why was verifying a reliable source so important? If what I wrote was later found to be merely folklore or legend, my readers would wonder: what else has she written that may not be true? Since I am a Bible teacher, carelessness would be deadly to my credibility as a writer.

At a banquet of 600 people, I heard the keynote speaker tell a story of standing in line at a department store late into the Christmas season. A small boy ahead of him in line put his purchase on the counter. He explained he was buying the shoes for his dying mother. But after dumping his money on the belt, he discovered he was short of the purchase price.

The speaker shared he supplied what was needed, and the boy went home with his mother’s gift under his arm. One of my friends leaned over and whispered: “Wait…isn’t that a country song?”

Yes, it was. I was horrified. The fabricated account was enough to cast doubt on the rest of his content (for at least those at our table). What other information was he willing to compromise?

God is never the source of a lie. Only if we practice integrity in what we write, can we reflect the perfection of our Creator. Part of keeping integrity means checking our sources. What we write and say must always reflect His truth.

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.  2 Timothy 2:15 NIV

Julie Zine Coleman is an award-winning author, speaker, and member of the Pastoral Team at New Hope Chapel. She is the managing editor for the Advanced Writers and Speakers Association’s devotional website, Arise Daily. Julie holds a Master of Arts in Biblical Studies and has authored four books including Unexpected Love: God’s Heart Revealed through Jesus’ Conversations with Women and On Purpose: Understanding God’s Freedom for Women through Scripture, which was named The Golden Scrolls Book of the Year as well as The Selah Awards’ Director’s Choice. Julie and her husband have four grown children, six grandchildren, and one crazy Golden Retriever puppy.