DITW – Friend of the King – June 22, 2018
I have often heard the phrase “mankind dislikes that which it does not understand” but I always thought of this as someone choosing to be scared of a technology or a cultural thing rather than understanding it. However, the more places I take my family with its special needs children and large size, I can feel that fear and dislike everywhere. It seems that no matter where we live, how good of people we are, our family disquiets those around us who do not understand us. Even now, in the new home, we have felt this in the way some of our neighbors treat us. I look to the sky and say “Why is it like this, God? Why do we feel so out of place everywhere we go?” Sometimes this is answered in the kindness of a stranger or a momentary calm over the kids. However, in today’s reading, I think God gave me some insight into this through Peter: “It is God’s will that your honorable lives should silence those ignorant people who make foolish accusations against you.” (1 Peter 2:15, NLT). So it would be far too easy for me to take my frustration and respond to these people who treat us badly or look down on us – to ‘shut them down’ with a scathing word but does that do anything but confirm their thoughts? I think not. It’s far better for me to handle myself with the grace and patience that is only God in me. In the end, my reputation as a person is the only thing I have going for me and that’s worth a lot as Proverbs reminds me: “Choose a good reputation over great riches; being held in high esteem is better than silver or gold.” (Proverbs 22:1, NLT). By me answering prejudice, misunderstanding, dislike and scorn with a gracious heart, I show them that judging a book by its cover does no good in our situation. Perhaps that’s why I rarely get as loud or angry as I feel inclined to do. Ultimately, I serve the king of Heaven and Earth, what do I fear from man and their opinions? Only graciousness should be my response and that will earn respect much more than anger “Whoever loves a pure heart and gracious speech will have the king as a friend.” (Proverbs 22:11, NLT). Wow… the friend of the king of all? That’s worth caring about, not man’s words.