Article June 25, 1984 Issue

Rise above slander with joy

NANA WOLAVER

Many right-thinking persons have been slandered or seen a loved one so persecuted. If this happens to us, it may tempt us to be unhappy. However, Christ Jesus gave us the way to handle this situation. In his last beatitude he said: "Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." Matt. 5:11, 12.

The Bible tells us that Jesus himself was slandered, and he knew that every good worker is liable at times to be so mistreated. Lovingly sharing his rule for meeting the problem, he said, "Rejoice." Jesus knew that evil has no power to interfere with good. God's goodness and allness protect us from any malicious lies mortal mind tells about us.

It makes no difference how we may be verbally persecuted. We do not need to allow the mortal picture to sadden, irritate, or discourage us. Instead we can rejoice that the material dream is never true and cannot really harm or influence anyone. Just as God sustained the prophets and apostles when they were slandered and otherwise persecuted, so He is sustaining us in our experience.

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