DRAMA: part 2. 21 JULY 2017
This is a followup on my recent post. In that first post, I mentioned that I would provide some insight into dealing with slander. We want to continually bear in mind that we want to act Christlike…that is the most important response that we can achieve. In my first post, I based my comments upon experience from watching godly men, and in this followup I want to establish the first post’s advice with scriptures.
AN ANGRY MAN. We learn from scripture that it is an angry person who stirs up strife. (A) Realizing this simple fact, gives us lots of leverage on how to deal with it. You can’t just get angry, and often that is what the person is pushing for…they want to destabilize you with making you upset and angry. Don’t give them the satisfaction. Don’t give credence to lies by getting upset. We are taught that a soft answer will take care of wrath. (B)
RESULTS OF AN ANGRY FOOL SLANDERING US. If we give an angry fool enough rope, they will hang themselves. There are several verses that make it clear that evil contains the seed of its own destruction. We simply must step forward in faith with the understanding that things will iron themselves out–will take care of themselves in due time. If allowed to vent, slanderers will keep making more and more lies, until they discredit themselves. We can read in scripture how the prating fool falls and discredits himself. (C. cf. PRV 13:16, 10:8,9)
THE PROPER REACTION. The best Christlike answer to these people–which we can witness Christ modeling–is not to answer their folly. “Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.” PRV 26:4. When we get down in the pig pen and wrestle with pigs we get filthy. Wrestle with dogs and you will smell like a dog. Just keep your cool, and focus on Christ and seeking His righteousness.
FINAL THOUGHTS. In my case, Dolores is making it sound like the police are after me and I may go to jail. This is just clanging noise–just hot wind from a crazy mind. The police have not contacted me. I have done nothing illegal. In fact, I myself spoke to the police about what she is saying, and they told me she will gain nothing from them. The damage a slanderer can cause is usually with people who already are predisposed to think negative about the attacked person. Yet I have seen such negative-attitude people drop their negativeness, when they realize that the attacks are based on imagination, exaggeration & anger. The worst thing we can do, is to allow the slander to upset us…and that gives the slanderer a victory. We know that nothing can separate us from the love of God, and what man says is not as important as what God thinks of us. Be blessed my friends, and let us continue to do good, and to not grow weary in doing good.
(A) PRV 29:22 (B) PRV 15:23
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