Being Misunderstood

     One of my biggest challenges in life is being misunderstood.   It happened again recently: a friend insists that I said one thing, when I am sure I did not.  Having tried to correct her opinion, and seeing her continued insistence, my ego burns and my insides sting.  I just hate being thought badly of, especially when its not even true.
     This incident reminds me of a time when I was in high school.  A friend accused me, but in that case, she was correct.  And it stung so bad that I parted ways with her and our friendship ended.  High school was just brutal!
    But now, I have been accused, and it is not even true.  A worse situation.
    The insight that I am just reeling over, that I am just astounded by, is how much being a Christian helps me in life.  I find my life before being a Christian bankrupt--devoid of resources to get through tough times.  In my current trouble, sure, my guts sting.  But I am comforted by Christ, who too was falsely accused.  I get to keep Him company, and find His companionship.  We are "buddies."
    In high school, I parted ways with a friend because of the pain.  Now, as a Christian, I have a way to deal with that pain.  Even though this pain is worse, I do not have to part ways with anyone.  I can be mercy: I can stay in the friendship, and forgive, and let go.  
     As a Christian, anything that helps us imitate Christ is a PLUS in life.  Anything that draws us into His path, His story, is good for us.  So, even through my stinging guts are not entirely cooled off, I still get the consolation that God wants me to suffer this humiliation.  God has a blessing for me in it.  (God does sometimes causes sufferings, despite what Calvinists claim: see Prov. 3:11-12; Isa. 45:6-7; Deut. 32:39; 1 Sam. 2:6-7).  For, we have to admit that as awful as it was, the Father desired Christ's humiliation, passion and death.  It was part of the Divine Plan for the salvation of the world.  And so too, God desires my current suffering, because it burns away my ego.  That burning, stinging feeling--that is my ego, that needs to be purified.  I will not be like Christ, I will not be a saint, as long as there is anything to sting in the first place.  So, I say, "YES!"  I embrace my humiliation, and I say, "Let the sting continue!"  What I realized this morning is that I am really faulty.  I am not righteous, but often wrong.  In this case, I think I am right, but how often am I just plain wrong?  I want to be the kind of humble person who says, "Yep, I'm wrong."  I want to be the kind of person who can go there in no time--practically immediately.  Oh, I love being around people who are like that!  So humble!  I'm not yet one of them.  But I hope to be soon!  God help me, give me humility!