Every day as you work to further your mission, you will inevitably run into resistance from others. You’ll experience fraud, shortchanging, and betrayal. People will make grandiose promises that they won’t keep. It is all part of the game. You should understand human nature and make allowances for such behavior. Jesus understood this aspect of human nature. He would not entrust himself to the crowd, as he knew what was in their hearts (John 2:23-25). So, just like Jesus, stay focused on your mission every day. Also, make room for others. When problems arise, be quick to forgive. Allow no one to derail your mission.
Albert Einstein once said: “Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices and chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.” You must recognize and accept this unpleasantness as a characteristic of people. Recognizing that you are being opposed or sabotaged because your attackers are ignorant is crucial. They have no idea what they are doing. In a court of law, ignorance is not a valid defense. However, you are not a court, and getting offended with people will stop you in your tracks. You will lose.
So, let us learn to imitate great biblical heroes. The way they forgive their enemies while remaining focused on the mission. Joseph never sought vengeance on his brothers. He acknowledged their evil ways, but pointed out that God used it for a greater good (Genesis 50:15-21). If you are serious about completing your mission. “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” has to be your favorite prayer point. If your critics realized you were working to make the world a better place. They would have done better. They don’t realize their future survival depends on your success. Forgive them and find a way to avoid them.
