I know several people who are very nice and faithful, yet are hurting emotionally because of someone else who seems bent on making their lives miserable.
To me, it makes no sense.
I see the kindness and integrity and faithful devotion of the ones being antagonized.
It’s ridiculous, actually, to think that godly people are stuck dealing with such treatment.
Can’t the troublemakers see what I see? The goodness? The sincerity? The unselfishness? The devotion to serving others?
This isn’t a matter of logic, however.
Logic would do the character-quality math and come down on the positive side of the ledger.
I have faced — and still do at times — this conundrum of striving to be Christlike yet being treated like an enemy.
The fact is that many Christians face the same at their work or at their school or in their family relationships or even at church.
Perhaps you’re hurting now because somebody sees you as the enemy even though you treat them as friends.
I don’t have a magic wand for you, I’m sorry to say.
I certainly haven’t found one to wave over myself to insulate me from illogical antagonism.
We just have to take comfort in the fact that most Christians are logical in their treatment of others.
Most Christians don’t have a “hit list” of people they seek to make miserable.
Why this topic today?
In today’s daily Bible reading, a man named Elihu directed very hurtful, judgmental remarks toward Job, remarks that directly contradicted God’s description of Job as the most righteous man on earth, one who thoroughly pleased God.
Here’s what Elihu said:
“Tell me, has there ever been a man like Job, with his thirst for irreverent talk? He chooses evil people as companions. He spends his time with wicked men. He has even said, ‘Why waste time trying to please God?’” (Job 34:1-2).
Wow. Talk about Job-bashing…..
Was God wrong about Job’s character? Or was Elihu?
Can you imagine how Job felt when he heard these words? Especially when he knew they were false? Especially after everything that he’d already been through?
Probably how you’ve felt when people said hurtful things about you that you knew were wrong.
Listen, hearing trash talk about ourselves is never fun.
Especially when we’re already having to deal with other difficulties and disappointments in life.
Especially when those saying false, hurtful things should be the ones building us up.
As with Job, it’s vital that our sense of inner strength stands on the unending love of God and our uninterrupted devotion to a life of spiritual integrity.
That way, when someone starts tearing us down with words that aren’t true, we’ll still stand because we cling to the Word of Truth.
As always, I love you
Martin
