No Victory in Mud Slinging
October 4, 2020 by Jarrod Spencer
Filed under Daily Devotions, Personal Growth
By Jarrod Spencer –
Complaints are a dime-a-dozen. A child complains about what’s for dinner. A fan or player compains about an official’s call, or lack thereof. A customer complains over dissatisfaction with their food. We complain over an actor’s work in a play/film, the weather, the government, or how a church operates. Quite simply, we find it easy to complain. We want to be satisfied, so when we’re not, we don’t give second chances and we let people know about it.
Have you been receiving complaints?
I’ve had my fair share. I once thought I wanted to be a “famous” preacher. However, after knowing all that they go through from skeptics, I reconsidered, and no longer want to be well-known.
If you have been experiencing some complaints lately, the following quote from Rubel Shelly is for you: “If criticism is mistaken or mean-spirited, rise above it. Maintain the high ground when you’re under fire. No victory is worth winning at the expense of picking up the mud that has been slung at you and throwing it back.”
Would you agree it is easy to throw mud back? There are people out there that will always complain about something I have done. They have slung mud when they were upset. It took a lot to imitate Christ and not sling it back. Though it may make me feel good to throw it back, there is no victory found in mudslinging.
If you are thinking about slinging some mud, don’t. If you’ve been slung at, don’t sling back. There is no victory in that. Rise above being under fire! You can gain victory by rising above, rather than lowering yourself to their level.
I am ever trying to maintain the higher ground, with his help.
PRAYER: Father, may I imitate Your Son’s example when He was on the cross and did not sling the verbal mud back that was hurled at Him.
“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (I Peter 2:21-23 ESV).
“There is no victory found in slinging mud.”
Agreed.
Returning slung mud just brings you down to their level.
I’ve come to the point that, as long as I’m speaking God’s Word and not getting into the flesh, any response is His business anyway, not mine.
Life is so much more peaceful that way.