Being misunderstood by friends and family or falsely accused by others could cause us to be deeply discouraged or to shrink back and give up. How do we stay the course and persevere in the face of adversity?
Jesus had come into knowing who he was and whose he was, and thus his life purpose. He was not deterred. In fact, he gave a warning to those accusing and judging. He spoke with logic and common sense to make his point. He taught truth as well as offered warning against the sin of falsely accusing what was activity of Holy Spirit as being evil.
Hold back on judgment and accusation; watch for the fruit that comes from another’s heart and actions. Ask God to give you a firm and steadfast sense of yourself and of God’s wisdom for how and when to respond to another’s fears or judgement.
Mark 3:20-30 The Message
Jesus came home and, as usual, a crowd gathered–so many making demands on him that there wasn’t even time to eat His friends heard what was going on and went to rescue him, by force if necessary. They suspected he was getting carried away with himself.
The religion scholars from Jerusalem came down spreading rumors that he was working black majic, using devil tricks to impress them with spiritual power. Jesus confronted their slander with a story: “Does it make sense to send a devil to catch a devil, to use Satan to get rid of Satan? A constantly squabbling family disintegrates. If Satan were fighting Satan, there soon wouldn’t be any Satan left. Do you think it’s possible in broad daylight to enter the house of an awake, able-bodied man, and walk off with his possessions unless you tie him up first? Tie him up, though, and you can clean him out.
Listen to this carefully. I’m warning you. There’s nothing done or said that can’t be forgiven. But if you persist in your slanders against God’s Holy Spirit, you are repudiating the very One who forgives, sawing off the branch on which you’re sitting, severing by your own perversithy all connection with the One who forgives.” He gave this warning because they were accusing hiim of being in league with Evil.
For Reflection and Prayer:
What did you hear as you listened/read?
Did a word or phrase stand out to you??
Have your experieced being falsely accused? How did you respond?
What might God be inviting for you through these words?
