Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Scoffed...

Have you ever been laughed at?

How did it make you feel?

How did you react?

My heart went out to a friend of mine, who recently experienced this situation.   They were being told of another person's ill health.  The person is suffering from cancer and is terminal.  My friend responded that they would pray for that suffering individual.  As they walked away, they heard laughter and someone saying "they are going to pray for him", laughing out loud as if it was a ludicrous thing, praying for the sick,

After hearing this, I was compelled to write what I have learned in my walk with the Lord about scoffers.  I believe every believer will face being scoffed or laughed at, at one time or another, if they are truly trusting and trying to live their life for God.

My first thought went to Job.  Remember how he suffered and was mocked?
  • Job 21:14-15 (NIV) Yet they say to God, 'Leave us alone! We have no desire to know Your ways. Who is the Almighty, that we should serve Him?  What would we gain by praying to Him?'
Or perhaps a scripture in the book of Psalms fits it better.
  • Psalm 73:11 (NIV)  They say, "How would God know?  Does the Most High know anything?"
I can only imagine what my friend felt at the moment upon hearing the laughter. I'm sure questions started going through their mind. Questions like "Are they laughing at me, questioning my faith?", "Are they really that insensitive?", or maybe "Are they that angry at God?".

My friend continued on their way after hearing that scoffing statement.

It's a natural instinct, for a lot of people, to turn around and tell the person laughing exactly what they think about their rude behavior.  Then there are others who wouldn't waste their breath on them again if they had too.  Needless to say a scoffer does not make very many "brownie points" with people.

So, how should we respond to scoffers?
  • Psalm 1:1-4 (NIV) Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and who meditates on His law day and night.  That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.  Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.
In 1 Peter it tells us to live good lives among the unbelievers.
  • 1 Peter 2:15 (NIV) For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people.
  • 1 Peter 2:21-23 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in His steps.  "He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in His mouth." When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats.  Instead, he entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.
These verses tell me that we should "turn the other cheek" so to speak.

Give it to God and carry on.

Keep on living for God to the best of your ability, and last but not least, pray for the offender so that they might learn to walk in the light.

Sonia

No comments:

Post a Comment

I look forward to your comments. :)

Beauty of Giving

www.youravon.com/sparham