The Stinging Reproach of the People

 

The Stinging Reproach of the People

 

Lamentations 3:14 I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day. Lamentations 3:59-63, O Jehovah, thou hast seen my wrong; judge thou my cause. Thou hast seen all their vengeance and all their devices against me. Thou hast heard their reproach, O Jehovah, and all their devices against me, The lips of those that rose up against me, and their device against me all the day. Behold thou their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their song.

       The Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah recorded in  chapter three that God’s seer experienced the stinging reproach of the people around him.  If you are a part or full-time practicing musician, you may sometimes experience the jest and derision of others.  If you are truly a musical “seer” and if you follow biblical principles of musicing even though they are many times not popular, you will no doubt find yourself the subject of much criticism.

       There is no doubt about it; there is a battle for Christian music taking place in the twenty-first century.  If you operate from a conservative Bible-based music praxis, you will sooner or later, find yourself in the religious “fiery furnace”.  Like Jeremiah of the Old Testament, you will be misunderstood. 

       The thing that matters is how you react to misunderstanding.  If you get bitter and angry, you will be the one who suffers.  Jeremiah prayed in verse twenty-one of chapter five, “Turn us back to You, O LORD, and we will be restored, Renew our days as of old (NKJV)”.

       Getting even or lashing out with words is never the right answer.  The answer is turning back to God which will bring about unity and restoration.  The right thing to do is to bring our lamentations to the LORD.  My former pastor R.E. Carroll told me once, “When I am misunderstood and when I am criticized I pray, O Lord handle me.  O Lord take care of me and O Lord take care of my attitude.”