I’ve learned on this journey that you’ll have more folk in the audience of your life who can’t stand you than those who say they support you. Yea, you’ll have folk mixed into the crowd who actually came to see if this will be the time you fail. There will be folks who say they are happy for you, downing you behind your back. Those who claim they will be there will never buy what you’re selling yet they’ll show up to eat and then have the nerve to want something free. Well beloved, it comes with the territory of your gift. You don’t have to believe these printed words, just keep living. There are people who show up on Sunday mornings, not for the preached word but to see if this will be the day you mess up. Folk on the job are waiting for you to say something wrong in the meeting. So called friends are waiting to get some juicy gossip on you. And here you are still trying to figure out how they got in. It’s simple; God allowed them access to you. Turn to your bible and read where it clearly states in Psalm 23:5, “You prepare a table before me, even in the presence of my enemies.” See, God has given your enemies access because He needs them to see His word being manifested in you. Why? Eventually they’ll stop hating and really start congratulating and maybe they’ll want to get to know the God you serve.
What do you do? Keep walking in God’s way and using your gift. Stop worrying about what folk say because there’s only fifteen dedicated folk in your congregation, your book doesn’t have as many reviews as theirs, your car is over ten years old, you haven’t upgraded your house yet, you’re still unmarried, your children didn’t go to college, your spouse isn’t like theirs and your event didn’t sell out. Stop focusing on why you keep bumping into naysayers or folk with the look of ‘I told you so’ in their eyes. Don’t put too much stock into those who make it their mission to knock you off your mission because God has granted them front row access but they can’t harm you, all they can do is look. For my bible tells me in Psalm 138:7, “Though I am surrounded by troubles, you will protect me from the anger of my enemies. You reach out your hand, and the power of your right hand saves me.” So be nice to those who wants to see harm come your way, be kind to those trying to make you stumble and smile at those who only say mean things about you because the bible says in Proverbs 25:22, “In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you.” Beloved, when you don’t entertain the enemies, it makes them burning mad they didn’t get you. And when your anointing allows you to offer them a seat at your table, it makes them hot with anger they didn’t win this time either. Let them sit, they have no authority!
Lakisha, the Author 