Dealing with False Accusers.

In my recent blog, “Loud And Proud Now, We Are Still Here.” I related how we had experienced a recent situation of false accusations and innuendo aimed at us. Well, I received the following response:

” What advise would you give to a person engaged with in the muck and mire of inaccuracies, besides the obvious of "check the facts"? We've been thinking about what Scripture would fight this evil, and for me, I Cor 13 and Phil 4 keep coming to mind. But, I must admit scripture has been more to comfort us than to confront them. We're still growing.”

Well once again I have to admit right here that I am not the font of all wisdom in any of these matters, but a few obvious thoughts do come to mind.

1. The first comes from my friend’s above scriptural quote from the Book of One Corinthians in the New Testament of our Bible. Chapter13 focuses on the motivation of love behind everything that we do. The writer (Paul) says if he did the greatest things in the world but did not have love, he was nothing more than “ a noisy gong or clanging cymbal.” It might look good but there is no substance to it.

So they first way we respond to our attackers is the opposite of the way they act. We must never, ever stoop to their level and respond the way the do. They would only then use our responses to justify their own actions conveniently forgetting that they started it.

No, rather than responds in kind, we are to Love them back. Where they are wrong we are to correct, but again in love and not with lies or hysteria like what is coming from them.

Now I admit that that is easier said than done, but we do really need to take the advice in Romans 12: 20-21 of loving our enemies, even to the point of satisfying their basic physical needs, and thus “ heap burning coals on their heads. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good’.

Again all it means is to not react in the way they are or in the way they want us to, but to embarrass them by behaving properly and as you should, and not as they do.

2. The second way also comes from my friend’s above scriptural quotes. This time from the Book of Philippians, also in the New Testament of our Bible. Chapter 4 of Philippians, especially verses 8 & 9 say, that we are to concentrate and think on all the good things we know, whilst ignoring the bad things. And not only that, but as well as thinking on these things, we are to keep on practising and doing them too. It is not enough to think lovely thoughts, but we have to live them too!

3. On a similar vein and sticking to Scripture, The Book of Matthew in 5: 37 says simply to let your let your yes be yes and your No, no. Again we are not to imitate them or try and match them with foolish words which do not stand up to critical examination, but simply to let our words stand for us with a simple but honest yes or no when applicable.

4. Similarly and also from scripture, James 4: 17, simply says, “Anyone who knows what to do and fails to do it, commits Sin”, or in other words is wrong! So answer them in the way it should be answered and not like they are responding. Answer the right way and not in their kind.

5. And for my final thought and scripture on this matter I will finish with Romans 12: 19. Where it says, “ Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written ’Vengeance is Mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

So, to answer the question of how I would advise a person on the wrong end of false accusations, (whilst again acknowledging that I am not the font of all wisdom,) I would advise one not to respond in kind but to respond in love, whilst not letting them get to you. Rather than think of their evil, think of the nice things to come out of the same situation. Never let the evil drown out the good, but drown out the evil with both good thoughts and actions.

Again don’t answer them back in kind, but simply let your yes be yes and your no, be no. Leave all the lies for them, and leave final judgement on them to God. As for you, just keep on doing the right things and eventually their evil will be shown for what it is. Just don’t let this disclosure also include any evil on your own part, but only all your good deeds.

Well that is my humble advice! What’s yours?