Believing The Worst

Why is it that people seem to always believe the worst about others? I was struck by this comment a couple of days ago on Facebook and I began pondering it.

On an episode of “Robin Hood,” the peasants in a town were shocked when the sheriff told them that Robin Hood was killing innocent people. Then, in turn, they quickly turned against him. One of Robin’s men commented that he wondered why they bothered giving them the last of their food when they hated them. Why do we hunger when all they do is hate us?

That is an interesting question, is it not? How is it that people and mostly those who we would think to know us best think the worst of us? People you work beside, pray beside, play golf with, or go to church with, or like Robin fed and cared for. It is hard to imagine and harder yet to go through, as I see a blogger on Facebook being torn apart by her fans on the Internet.

I think many of us have walked through this and Christ has walked through it. They sing "Hosanna" and wave palm branches as he comes into town and yell "Crucify Him" on that Friday. First, they adore you, and then they hate you, the early church is full of this. They are doing well. And yet people believe the rumors that the Christians are cannibals (eating the communion bread) and drinking blood, (communion wine) or any number of stories.

What is the answer? Well, the bible says that when we are innocently persecuted for his sake, we are blessed. It also says to pray your enemies and those who were persecuting you. Lastly, it says to do good to them.

Wow, how different that is to our knee-jerk reaction right? Let them go hungry. What is it to me? What if I am Mr. or Mrs. negative and always think the worst of people? Well, the bible talks about that too. It tells us to think on good and pure and lovely things. Then that is the opposite of negativity isn’t it? So, what if we actually practiced this? Say we daily think two nice thoughts about, our wife, our friends, or our kids? What if we actually spoke those things out loud to them or others? The bible says that the mouth has the power of life and death and to choose life. (Prov 18:21)

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat, if is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 NIV

Check Out He Looks At The Heart!