How Should We Respond to Verbal Attacks?

If you read my post last week, Conservatives, Don’t Be Intimidated, you might have said to yourself, “That’s easier said than done. I’ve tried that before and have only received hurtful, vicious responses.” That’s probably true. Not everyone will be agreeable to, or tolerant of, our conservative opinions.

[Tweet “Not everyone will be agreeable to, or tolerant of, our conservative opinions.”]

They may twist and turn what you say and spew anger and vitriol at you for even suggesting there is an opposing way of looking at our culture and values. Often, they project onto us what they would do and say, trying to discredit us.

If you’ve followed the recent vicious attack on Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a successful conservative Christian woman and White House Press Secretary, you saw a perfect example of how we should respond.

Sarah was invited to the White House Correspondents Assoc. dinner. They seated her on the dais for all to see her reaction to the filthy-mouthed woman they hired to say horrible, degrading, bullying things about Sarah.

Sarah sat through it all, even though she was only one chair way from the verbally abusive onslaught. Her face didn’t betray the hurt or disgust she must have been feeling. Can you imagine how her husband felt as he sat in the audience hearing his wife belittled and made fun of with crudeness, profanity, and attacks on her appearance and work? If you haven’t heard it, brace yourself and listen here, but make sure there are no children in the room.

These verses apply to Wolf’s attacks that were not jokes or funny:

You love evil more than good and lies more than truth. Psalm 52:3-4  (NLT)

You love to destroy others with your words . . . Psalm 52:4

It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth. Matthew 15:11

[Tweet “Some Christians have been supporting Michelle Wolf’s right to free speech and touting the 1st Amendment.”]

Some Christians have been supporting Michelle Wolf’s right to free speech and touting the 1^st Amendment. I would remind them what kind of language the Bible tells us to support and encourage:

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29

Sarah, a mature Christian, applied the above verses to her gracious responses. Honestly, I don’t know if I could have been so composed or kind, but right after the event those who saw her said she didn’t talk about the attacks or act angry. She simply said she would pray for Wolf and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

[Tweet “Sarah Sanders simply said she would pray for Wolf and enjoyed the rest of the evening.”]

Later that night, news personality Benny Johnson wrote on Facebook about Sarah’s response.

However, there is something you must know about Sarah Sanders: She is a better and bigger person than the sad leftists who attack her.
At the MSNBC after-party, I spoke with high-ranking members of Sarah’s staff. They were disgusted by the remarks – and tell me that the plan was for Sarah to walk-out if they got too personal. Sarah however, stayed firm. “I don’t know how she does it,” one of her closest confidants told me, “She kills them with kindness – she puts up with it. Good-hearted American people see that – and then she wins.” 
Then, Sarah Sanders walks into the MSNBC party. A network that lives to savage and promote the godless vitriol that just attacked her. Guess what? Sarah Sanders was smiling. She owned it. I asked her about the attack and she shrugged with a smile and just said the attacks didn’t bother her and that she’s praying for the comedian. 
That is the kind of woman she is. 
Flying into a city to cheap-shot a working mother to her face in front of a room of one thousand journalists because you disagree with her politically is not brave. It’s the definition of a coward and a bully. 
Putting up with it and forgiving that person afterward? 
That is real power. 
That is strength. 
That is class. 
That is Sarah Sanders.

When asked about the evening on Fox and Friends a few days later, Sarah responded that what Wolf said reflects more about Wolf than about Sanders, and she hopes that Wolf can find the happiness she herself has found.

www.lightstaysretreats.com

[Tweet “Sarah Sanders hopes that Wolf can find the happiness she herself has found.”]

But this will be your opportunity to tell them about me.^[a] 14 So don’t worry in advance about how to answer the charges against you, ¹⁵ for I will give you the right words and such wisdom that none of your opponents will be able to reply or refute you! Luke 21:13-15 (NLT)

[Tweet “Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave us the best demonstration of how God wants us to respond to those who verbally attack us”]

So how should we respond to verbal attacks? Sarah Huckabee Sanders has given us the best demonstration of how God wants us to respond.

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’^[a] and hate your enemy.⁴⁴ But I say, love your enemies!^[b] Pray for those who persecute you! ⁴⁵ In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. ⁴⁶ If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. ⁴⁷ If you are kind only to your friends,^[c]how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. ⁴⁸ But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48

Speak the truth in love, but speak the truth!

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There won’t be a Monday Morning Blog for the rest of the month. Enjoy May, and I’ll be back with you in June.