In the Gospel accounts, Jesus spoke twenty-six “woes” to the world, Pharisees, corrupt lawyers, and unbelievers, but only one to His disciples… “Woe to you, when all men shall speak well of you! For so did their fathers to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26).
Does this grip you? Don’t we spend our lives wanting people to speak well of us? To give us the benefit of the doubt, to understand we mean well? But when we stop to consider that Jesus did everything right, never spoke a wrong word, or did a wrong action at the wrong time… suddenly perspective sets in.
Sometimes slander is a compliment. If we’re slandered because we stand for what is right – take the compliment. If we’re slandered for standing with Jesus, Israel, and eternal accountability – take the compliment. False prophets sided with the world and always took middle ground. But their shame is infamous. They were cowards who sought the praise of corrupt men over the praise of a holy God.
Jesus flipped the coin and phrased this another way… “Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you, when people shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in Heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12).
“For My sake.” Doesn’t that glorify all slander and persecution? He told us that a world that loves sin will never speak well of those who stand for Him. So settle it with joy in your hearts… “If I seek to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ,” and take the compliments.
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