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2 things are inevitable in our journey with Christ. We are going to face some giants and we are going to face haters. I don’t know about you but sometimes it’s harder for me to handle the haters than the giants
1 Samuel 17:28
28 When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, "Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle."
This is the same Eliab that Samuel almost chose as king based on his appearance but God stopped Samuel and said that he had “rejected him” before anointing David as king. No doubt there was some tension in this relationship with the older brother getting passed over for the youngest brother, but what really grabbed by attention were 2 comments that Eliab made.
What Eliab said to David is the same thing that your haters try to do to you.
Take Shots
Whenever you get ready to do something great for God you can rest assured that you are going to encounter haters and it stings even worse when it’s someone close to you.
“And whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness”
It’s ok to ask where the sheep are, but why did he have to throw the word “few” in there. Eliab wasn’t concerned about the sheep; he wanted to take a shot at David. Most of the time the people who take shots at what you are doing usually aren’t really doing anything themselves. What was Eliab doing again? Nothing! He was hiding because he was scared of Goliath. It’s sad but so true, most of the time bitter people would rather take shots than find solutions. I can’t prove it but I think Eliab would have rather lost the battle than have David win it for them.
Say things that aren’t true
This usually hurts the most. If you have ever had someone tell lies about you, you know just how rough it can be. Look what Eliab said to David
“I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is”
Didn’t God describe David as a man after his own heart? Then why is Eliab calling him conceited and wicked? When people get bitter they usually start putting things together that don’t go together. That usually turns into them telling lies about you. I honestly believe that most of the time they don’t even realize they are spreading lies. They really do believe it in their hearts but there bitterness has blinded them from the truth.
Last year I had some people leave my church because someone in the church started spreading some things about me that weren't true. People leaving the church always hurts, but what hurt worse were that people actually believed something that wasn’t true about me.
I love what David did after his brother hated on him.
“29 "Now what have I done?" said David. "Can't I even speak?"30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter.”
David responded with “Dude, what’s your problem?” and then he turned around and went and talked to someone else. Everyone doesn’t feel the way the hater feels, and you can’t spend your time trying to convince them they’re wrong, because you wont.
Move on and go find someone else that will help you.
About the author
Jason is the Teaching Pastor at River City Worship Center in Louisville KY, and owns a web development company Jbirdmedia. He wanted all boys until he had his daughter Sadie and now he wants 4 girls. You can follow him on twitter @jasonisaacs
The movement of God is always forward. We have been made to soar and to embrace our future as God sees it. Forwardleadership is designed to engage leaders who have tomorrow in their hearts. Thank you for visiting.
by Teri L. Begley on November 09, 2011
We have all had some haters especially if we are trying to do do something for The Kingdom.It is especially hard when they say things that are not true.I agree with you in that what hurts worse is that people believe what they hear. It is amazing to me that leaders don't get to know people for themselves they believe others opinions and don't realize there is a alot of jocking for position, people with their own motives and agendas and they discount some because they want to have the closeness with Leaders exclusively. They use their influence to murder a brother or sister and praise the God that created them? How do you know as a leader that people really care about you and whether they just want to be seen with you because of your social status and what you can do for them.
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