Reputation matters, and when our reputation is dragged through the mud life can feel very painful indeed.
I’m not referring to times when we have fallen into sin and people begin to see us differently – that, whilst painful, is often a necessary part of true repentance and restoration. Nor those times when verbal abuse is part of a wider context of coercion or control. I mean those moments when people say things about us that are unjust or unfair. That professional slur, that inaccurate piece of gossip, that foundationless accusation – they cut to the core and leave us reeling with hurt.
Maybe it’s the helplessness that feels the worst, but there are other emotions beside. There can be fear, as we ponder what the longer-term implications might be; anger, as we see injustice progressing seemingly unchecked; and despair, as events keep going in a direction that feels so deeply wrong. Friends tend towards either telling us to ‘let it go’ or ‘fight for your rights’. Rarely do either feel like viable ways to proceed.
I imagine David knew that dynamic as he hid in a cave from Saul. He had done nothing to deserve the king’s wrath, he did not deserve the gossip of those loyal to Saul whose tongues were like ‘sharp swords’ (Ps. 57:4). And doubtless it would have been tempting to yell at the top of his voice that everything being said about him was untrue – he was a good man at heart. Yet he dealt with a situation that was deeply out of his control with wisdom and grace.
The narrative unfolds in 1 Samuel 24 and beyond. There we discover three extraordinary facts:
• He sought community and safety. He did not hunker down and try to weather the storm alone – he did not turn in on himself, he turned to people who could help him. He surrounded himself with men who he could trust. Interestingly, these weren’t ‘yes men’ – there were certainly moments when they disagreed with David – but they were committed to being with him, protecting him, in desperately difficult times.
• He shunned gossip and revenge. David didn’t take the opportunity to get rid of Saul – he could not even bring himself to speak badly of Saul. There was no wishing ill on the men who were speaking (and acting) so awfully. He merely acted in a way that showed everyone his godliness and integrity and, when he had the chance, gently stated his good intentions to the king.
• He persevered until justice was done. And he kept seeking community, and living an exemplary life, until such time as the slander was over and people could see that he was God’s anointed. He didn’t give up on the truth being accepted, but he waited.
It’s extraordinary godliness. Counter-cultural goodness. How was he able to do that? Psalm 57 gives us some clues. Here he pours out his heart to God – he expresses his feelings and he asks for help. But he also trusts in the strength of the Lord. The covenant God is so powerful, so welcoming, so able to bring about his good purposes that he sees no reason to either despair or take things into this own hands. There will be justice in the end.
Of course, it’s a path that points us to the ultimate king, Jesus. The one who walked through crowds intent on wounding Him. The one who was led like a lamb to the slaughter, silent and unashamed. The one who asked for forgiveness for those hurling insults as He hung on the cross. Never forgetting justice but never seeking revenge.
The path is our call too. Having our reputation unfairly shredded may cause us to weep deeply. But, in Christ, we too can find the strength to walk the line that David walked. Not giving up, not giving in – explaining the truth, gently, when opportunities come. Yet not once letting anger or fear define our responses. Never letting our pain lead us to enact revenge on those around. Knowing that in this life – or sometimes the next – the truth will be known.
More about Biblical Counselling UK is available at www.biblicalcounselling.org.uk or you can contact them at info@biblicalcounselling.org. uk or c/o Christ Church, Christchurch Street, Cambridge CB1 1HT
