MISUNDERSTOOD

“Let him curse . . . it may be that the LORD will see my distress and repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today”

(2 Samuel 16:11-12).

“Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness” (James 3:18).

Have you ever been misunderstood? Have you felt isolated, judged, helpless and defenseless? Have you found yourself desiring to be heard, for an opportunity to give your perspective? To set the record straight? How do we respond to this dilemma in a Christ-like manner?

A. B. Simpson has written:

What grace it requires when we are misunderstood yet handle it correctly, or when we are judged unkindly yet receive it in holy sweetness! Nothing tests our character as a Christian more than having something evil said about us. This kind of grinding test is what exposes whether we are solid gold or simply gold-plated metal. If we could only see the blessings that lie hidden in our trials, we would say like David, when Shimei cursed him, “Let him curse …. It may be that the LORD will … repay me with good for the cursing I am receiving today” (2 Samuel 16:11-12).

Some Christians are easily turned away from the greatness of their life’s calling by pursuing instead their own grievances and enemies. They ultimately turn their lives into one petty whirlwind of warfare.

Perhaps you have suffered a character assassination or felt the inability to speak or defend yourself. For me it took a while, but God has shown me that I must live in such a manner that he/she won’t believe the untruths and exaggerations. Just know that behind it all is the enemy’s scheme to tarnish our testimony for the Lord and inflict emotional pain and cause division in the body of Christ.

But we don’t always “feel” like responding correctly, do we? That’s when we need the Spirit of Christ, who, “when they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; . . . Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” (1 Peter 2:23).

Jesus was “oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open his mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). He kept His focus on the goal and will of His Father.

We can direct our focus on our Lord and Master, for we have “no other such a friend or brother”—we can tell Jesus all about it. He will heal our broken hearts and give us grace to sow peace and live in harmony with others.

The Lord deserves our worship and praise! Many times He has been misunderstood. May we lay our emotional pain and resentment at the foot of the Cross where there is forgiveness and grace. We can say with Job, “When He has tried me, I will come forth as gold”—not gold-plated but solid gold (Job 23:10).

No one understands like Jesus, Every woe He sees and feels;

Tenderly He whispers comfort, And the broken heart He heals.

No one understands like Jesus, When the foes of life assail;

You should never be discouraged, Jesus cares and will not fail.—John W. Peterson