12 we labor, working with our own hands. When we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted we endure it; 13a when we are slandered, we respond graciously.
The following story was told by a student in Bible school class while I was also a student in the same Bible school class at my former church, Perfecting Faith Church, Senior Pastor Donnie McClurkin. My fellow student while she was walking down a sidewalk came upon a woman whose dogs were blocking her way. The student who was afraid of dogs asked the woman if she could move her dogs so that she could pass. The woman called the student the “n” word, and would not move her dogs. The student kindly said to the woman, “Well God bless you,” and the dogs moved out of the student’s way. We bless, we endure, we respond graciously. This is something that I have to remind myself of everyday because at times I do fail at this.
During these times and in times past we come across being reviled, persecuted, and slandered. The definition of reviled in the Noah Webster 1828 Dictionary means “to suggest blame for anything…to treat with scorn or contempt.” However, Jesus says in Matthew 5:11 HCSB (Holman Christian Standard Bible), 11 “You are blessed when they insult and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of Me. 12 Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
So this is the way of life for a Christian, to bless, endure, and to respond graciously in order to become bolder, wiser, and “more than a conqueror” (Romans 8:37 KJV). This is how we handle our enemies knowing that God will make a move for us like when the dogs moved out of the way for the student. A relationship with God is like being in a supernatural realm of protection and guidance. Yes, we are slaughtered being reviled, persecuted, and slandered in our battlefield in our minds with satan, and when loved ones are physically slaughtered which is painful beyond belief. Having our minds stayed on Christ gives us our victories when we bless, endure, and respond graciously to our persecution. God has put us here on earth for His purpose to heal the land, and this is not an easy task. So we come humbly to the Lord praying for justice, and to seek His face in our relationship with Him. Justice is reconciliation of liked minds in Christ. Noah Webster’s 1828 Dictionary definition of reconciliation says “Reconciliation and friendship with God, really form the basis of all rational and true enjoyment.”
As God responses graciously to us so we have to respond graciously to others even though it may hurt horribly. Remember, the goal is for true justice and reconciliation of liked minds in the eyes of God/.
Brenda A. McGee has attended New York Theological Seminary in New York, NY, and Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, CA as a Master of Divinity student.