I walked into a small room filled with angry people, thinking I was there to support a friend. The next thing I knew, a finger was pointed at my face, and an accuser shouted, “Just who do you think you are?”
My hands flew up in front of me, and my response was “Whoa, whoa, whoa … what in the world are you talking about?”
From that point on, the meeting hit a downward spiral. Lies bounced around the room like rubber balls with a life of their own. At one point, my accuser tried to hit me. Thankfully, someone stepped between us as I silently begged God to come to my rescue.
Being falsely accused is no picnic. But what should we do when it happens?
Every time Jesus faced the religious firing squad, He remained silent. He didn’t get angry or emotional, try to dispute the accusations, or explain His words and actions. He had been about His Father’s business and knew He had done no wrong. When the Devil challenged Him, He replied each time with, “It is written ...”
Remaining calm and confident when fingers are pointed in your face and hateful words are hurled at you from every direction—especially from people you thought were your friends—is difficult. Our flesh demands reaction while our spirit whispers peace. Our carnal nature cries out for us to stand our ground and fight back, while the Holy Spirit within us says, “I’ve got this.”
My experience—which I affectionately refer to as “the bashing”—happened many years ago, and the memories fade a little more with each passing decade. God was with me that day, just as He’s been with me since—and always will be. He fought the battle for me, and like the three Hebrew boys in the fiery furnace, I came out without even the smell of smoke.
I learned a lot from that experience—especially about forgiveness, trust, self-control, and preserving my integrity in the midst of an angry mob.
When people come against you, call on the Lord. He will give you the words to speak and fill you with His peace.
(Photo courtesy of Free Digital Photos.)
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Excellent Andrea.