February 19, 2018

Trust God

The one who conceals hatred has lying lips, and whoever utters slander is a fool. – Proverbs 10:18

He is a friend, a relative, a co-worker. She is a neighbor, a fellow parent or church member. You think you all get along. While you aren’t super close, the relationship in your eyes is friendly and warm.

Then you find out – quite by accident – that you’ve been unfriended on Facebook. You ask a few subtle questions of mutual friends. Nothing. Do you start a conversation with this person? Do you just let it go?

It stings. There’s no way around it.

Then there’s the person who spends his days bashing you. Never to your face, of course. He’s so sweet and kind. You almost believe his lies. Except for the people who ask if you know what he’s saying behind your back. It happens once, twice, numerous times.

You could confront him. What’s the point? He is following a pattern of behavior he’s engaged in throughout his life. You’ve heard him bash others the same way he is now bashing you.

What bothers you the most about it all is the hypocrisy of it. That’s especially true when the offender is a fellow church member or someone who loudly proclaims his faith to the world. You wonder if anyone else sees the trouble with someone who is nice to your face and yet slams you behind your back.

One man is such a public Christian. He can quote the Bible verse after verse. He offers up the most beautiful prayers, being sure to lay hands on people and proclaim their healing. He is quick to teach, to save souls, to proclaim all God has done for him.

His life behind this persona is totally different. Those who have known him long and well just shake their heads. They hear the lies and have for as long as they have known him. They don’t miss how he takes credit for things only Jesus can do. As one relative said, “The devil quotes the Bible too.”

He is a snake, waiting in the grass to attack his unsuspecting victims. His mouth runs wild with venom, lies designed to destroy. All in God’s name of course. And all behind the back of those he claims to care about.

It’s never easy to feel the sting of rejection and betrayal. Understand that it’s not about you. And know that it doesn’t come from God. You can face the situation and try to resolve it or you can simply let it go. Forgive and move on, being ever watchful for the next attack.

People who think it’s okay to slander people behind their backs are fools not worth knowing. Don’t stoop to their level. Don’t retaliate. God is the defender of His children. Keep your own counsel, venting only to God. Trust that He will handle it because He will.