How to Deal With Insults I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. — Psalm 38:14 If you are like most of us, your instinct is probably to strike back with an equally, if not more stinging insult. However, as G-d-centered people, we need to live above our natural instincts. We must live on a higher plane. In Psalm 38 David reveals the way he dealt with the numerous insults hurled upon him throughout his lifetime. He wrote, “I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply.” David made his ears deaf and his mouth mute. He made no response, no matter how untrue or hurtful the insults. Now, at first blush, it might seem like we are doing the wrongdoer a favor by letting him or her get away with hurtful behavior. However, the truth is that when we allow someone else’s insults to hurt us by making us angry, spiteful, or resentful, truly, we are only hurting ourselves. We lower ourselves to their level and give credibility to their words. Thankfully, most of us aren’t deaf, but sometimes, we have to act as if we were and shut out the condescending voices that tell us that we aren’t good enough. G-d thinks that we are more than enough, and His opinion is all that matters. It’s not easy to shut out the negative and hurtful voices around us, but it’s essential for our success. When David went to fight the giant Goliath, he was just a young boy. His big brother Eliab took a stab at him and said, “I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle. - 1 Samuel 17:28 Ouch. However, David didn’t let those hurtful words stop him. He went out to fulfill his G-d-ordained destiny and brought down the threatening giant. So what should we do when people insult us? Instead of retaliating, try prayer. Pray that G-d will protect us from other people’s hurtful words. Then, once we are safe in G-d’s shelter, pray for those who hurt us. Only hurting people hurt others. Close your ears, silence your mouth, but open your heart and pray.
Posted on: Fri, 05 Sep 2014 15:13:23 +0000
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