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Kindness is not always understood, and at times, neither are our sincere actions or responses. The father’s words were sharp and condemning, but the child had wanted to help. Words like "stupid" and "how could you?" echoed loudly in the spirit that was crushed. Parents do it to children, and teachers and coaches can do it as well, but spouses, friends, supervisors, and even other believers can do it to those who have given of themselves, have wholeheartedly put forth the effort they thought was required, and have focused not on self-satisfaction, but the satisfaction of another. Words of accusation are falsely uttered because expectations were not met. Children label themselves as failures, undeserving of a parent’s love, marriages and friendships splinter, the workplace becomes demanding, and "church" loses all semblance of God-like acceptance.
Being the recipient of false accusations, it is easy to question the fairness of it all. Why me? Why must I always be the one to compromise? Why is it that I always seem to be the one getting beat up? Our tendency too can be to strike back and cause as much misery as we are now feeling. David found himself being falsely accused on numerous occasions. David was a man after God’s own heart, but his behavior did not always measure up to "perfect." There were times his sin was horrendous! Most of us can readily see those times we too have failed God, but prayerfully, as David did, we have openly confessed those sins to God, and sought His cleansing. False accusations come though, not because of actual sin, but because of a failure to meet the expectations of another. They can also come from the distorted thinking or lies of the accuser.
In Psalm 26, David pleads with God to declare his innocence. His trust in God has not wavered, and he has acted with integrity. He has been with the right people and in the right places. His desire is for God’s continuing presence and an outpouring of his own praise and service to God. He is willing for the all-knowing God to examine his motives and his heart. He is hiding nothing. David’s response to false accusations should foreshadow our own. God is our Audience of One, the sole observer I am to please. Purify, O God, my thoughts and attitudes, my motives, and my actions. Help me to give forgiveness to those who irritate or offend me. Help me to resist temptation, and keep me from the evil one. Rebuke his lies and his deceit that I may want only You, that I might learn of You, and that I might know Your all-sufficient presence.
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