The world is always taunting.

Why do we put so much stock into what others think of us? Why do we care what the critics say?

I’ve always wanted to be witty. To be able to give a quick witted response when someone takes a jab at me. To get in the last word and walk away leaving them standing there speechless. Yeah, well, that pretty much never happens because I am the polar opposite of “witty.”  I do however think of the best comebacks like three days after the fact.

It’s probably a good thing that I’m not very witty. The world’s wit and God’s wit are two very different things. God is calling us to respond differently to a taunting world.

He wants us to respond in truth and love.

“May your unfailing love come to me, Lord, your salvation, according to your promise; then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word. Never take your word of truth from my mouth, for I have put my hope in your laws.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119:41-43‬ ‭

The writer of Psalm 119 is asking for God’s unfailing love and salvation. He knows true wit is knowing, speaking, and trusting in truth. He puts more stock into what God thinks of him than what others think. He asks that the truth not be taken from his mouth. He knows the key to answering his critics is putting his hope in God’s laws.

If we want to learn how to respond to the world’s taunts, we must study the life of Jesus. Talk about always having the perfect response. The perfect last word. Jesus nailed it every time. His responses blew people out of the water because He always spoke the truth in love. Truth poured out of Him because He was and is the very essence of Truth.

In order for truth to pour from our mouths, we must first put it in our hearts. What we take in is what will come out of us. Good or evil. Truth or lies. Cleanliness or filth. Love or hate.

Out of the heart the mouth speaks.

What are you putting in your heart?

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Luke 6:45

Instead of sitting around analyzing and worrying about what others think of us, we need to open God’s Word and find out what God thinks of us. There we find His unfailing love. There we obtain salvation through His precious Son. There we discover His promises. There we attain our hope.  And that’s what we need to spend our time meditating on.  That’s what we need to allow to define who we are.

Then when the world comes taunting, we will have an answer for them. We will know exactly what to say and how to say it. We will have the perfect response. It will be the truth. We will speak with love. And that is exactly what a taunting broken world needs to hear.

“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” 1 Peter 3:15

“Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees. Your statues are my delight; they are my counselors.” Psalm 119:23-24