Rocking The Giants

This is a message for anyone claiming Christianity as your belief.

If you are an evangelist, or an office worker New Zealanders will treat you at large the same way.

You will be mocked, ridiculed, even taunted by others for your belief.

Wear it, own it because those who do not know what they do. or why they do. are confirming their own foolishness and ignorance.

we live in a fallen world with people who disguise themselves in the form of sane humans.

Mike Bain

 

You are not the first, the mockers have been around a long time, Interesting to note, the record shows, Jesus was the most mocked person in all the bible.

I accept being mocked by your peers can sometimes have a negative effect on your esteem and too much could end up causing insecurities or deep psychological issues.

But then, isn’t this what the father of the lie Satan, wants you to believe?

What lead me to bring this matter to the fore, was the account of David in 1 Samuel 17 where his older brother Eliab, mocked him just prior to him facing the giant Goliath.

Eliab overheard David asking the question regarding the promise of King Saul reward for striking Goliath down. – It was just a question.

Remember in his family’s eyes David was seen merely as a shepherd, his lanolin-soaked fingers played the Harp for King Saul, certainly not a hardened warrior, so he was mocked, reminded of his place and yes, his older brother did call him conceited. You can imagine how that conversation went.

If you have a bunch of brothers, there will be one not as robust as the others and considered to be a bit on the soft side. He is usually the one with all the bruises and possible psychological issues.

David might have had soft harp playing fingers but wasn’t this the same man the Bible records as seizing a bear, and a lion by the scruff of its hair and killing both because they carried off sheep from the flock.

Mock that effort Eliab.

There is a significant difference between constructive criticism or mocking coming from family or close friends who care about you and want to see you doing better in life.

The other type of criticism reflects insecurities and deep psychological issues.

We all have flaws but when the mockers start, take some time, and try to question their motives.

It’s he/she is the one who really needs help.

You may come to the realization, this person mocking and trying to humiliate you, is mentally unstable.

There will be a reason.

Truth is, what’s behind the snide comment, the mocking gesture or the put down to others comes down to one thing, Jealousy.

 When speaking to the Corinthian congregation Paul indexed jealousy alongside discord, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder as unenviable traits.

Never take criticism personally, it’s hard to admit this, but I’m sure you will understand.

There is no loving way to say this, but we live in a fallen world with people who disguise themselves in the form of sane humans.

In most cases you will be criticized or humiliated because of psychological issues that the attacker suffers from and not because you are bad or defective.

People guilty of mocking lack self-esteem.

Take some time and sit down with them and ask the reason they mock and try to humiliate you.

Ask them why they feel good about their mocking, and if the opportunity opens, tell them about why you have the courage to follow your belief in God.

If nothing else, pray for them, pray for God to remove the scales from their eyes and see his glory.

Remember David, the biblical account tells us, it wasn’t only his brother who mocked him, Goliath did too.

Read the account again, you will find a great lesson for all of us when facing the bullies, the mockers, scoffers in our own lives.

David was confronted by a giant, Goliath mocked him, but in the story, Saul suited David up in his own tunic, with a coat of armor and a bronze helmet on his head.

At first glance, David, apart from size, looked no different to that of his aggressor.

Wearing a suit of armor signaled, David would meet him on Goliaths level.

But there was a problem. David struggled to walk in this armor and to be honest, you could say the role of a warrior did not suit David.

Remember Eliab’s words when he mocked David, oddly his brother was right, he was just a shepherd boy, to have met Goliath on his terms on the field of battle, suited in armor would have been both conceited and suicidal.

Sometimes you just need family to bring you back to reality, and so David, the shepherd, David the harp player instead went into battle against Goliath dressed as a shepherd complete with staff and sling.

Before going out to meet the giant, he stopped at the stream and carefully chose five stones which he put into his shepherd’s pouch.

Here’s the lesson for all of us when faced by mockers, scoffers, and bullies, their words were meant to have an impact on you, their words were designed to ridicule you because you serve a higher authority.

Learn from David, don’t meet them on their terms, don’t meet them with like for like, take the time, choose your words carefully, ensure each one used will have an impact and humble the giant in your life.

Now that would be a victory in the name of GOD almighty.